


Last love song

by gutterfortunecookie



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Loki - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Blackmail, Break Up, Death, F/M, Multi, On the Run, Shock, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-06
Updated: 2015-04-24
Packaged: 2018-03-21 14:28:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3695780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gutterfortunecookie/pseuds/gutterfortunecookie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We all have to hit rock bottom to go up. For one agent in hiding, it is mostly for her survival.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Last love song by ZZ Ward. God knows I've listened to this damn song 10 times today...

 

 

 

I wasn't sure how long I had been walking. My heels were starting to blister the bottom of my feet. All I could do was think.

_Where was I going to go? What was I supposed to do? Why would this happen?_

I thought it was going to be a proposal. Instead, he led someone else in our apartment, thinking I wasn't going to be there to surprise him. The roses were still in my hand. I found them on the kitchen counter. In _my_ home.

I'm still not sure who was more shocked, either me with a diamond engagement ring on my finger or her when she said _Is that my ring?_

He only stood there as I packed only possessions I had bought with my own money. I walked out the door, I didn't bother to look up as I walked with one foot in front of the other. My knees were starting to feel weak. I didn't want to be in the city anymore. The big-shot lawyer that was _the only one_. His face would be everywhere I turned.

This wasn't how it was supposed to be. I had fled from a previous life to begin a normal one with a normal man. I wanted to marry him, be his wife and start a family with him. Now all those dreams were gone as I found myself in a subway terminal. I sat on a bench and felt the rush of wind as hour by hour, subway wheels rolled along by.

"You're ringing."

"What?"

I blinked as I saw someone sitting next to me. A man dressed in a suit and long overcoat had been sitting next to me, I'm not sure for how long he was there. He had leaned back against the cool metal and his long legs were crossed at the knee. His black hair collected around his neck. His features were so perfect that he almost looked like an angel. I was almost too distracted as I pulled out my phone and saw _his_ name on the screen. I cancelled it as I looked at the menu.

_9 missed calls. 28 texts. All from him._

My hand shook as the phone rang again.

"Are you seeking a temporary shelter? It is a fair amount of luggage that you are carrying."

"No."

"Are you going on trip?"

"No."

"What's that in your hand?"

"They're roses, dumbass."

"I meant in your other hand."

I looked down seeing a bottle of unopened Jameson whiskey in my hand. I had no memory of picking this up from the bar and I'm pretty sure I didn't steal it from a liquor store.

"You're very rude."

"Mind your own business."

I started to think again. If I didn't get out of the city soon, I was going to commit murder. Then they would find me again and terminate me for sure. In the city, there were eyes everywhere. Maybe I could try my luck on the West coast, just not Vegas. It was best if I found the Greyhound station instead of the subway. I wouldn't be able to fly, not in my condition. I would just find a hotel to stay for the night to collect my thoughts. Without thinking, I open my Jameson and take a few long gulps as the liquid burns my throat. I cough as the stranger continues to stare at me. I offer him the bottle. He gladly consumes a fair amount, placing the bottle between us.

"Where is your man? The one that put this stunning diamond on your finger?"

He had taken my hand and held it up to inspect the diamond ring. I pull my hand away and take off the expensive diamond band. I carelessly fling it to the empty tracks as it pings on the shining metal of the subway tracks. It wasn't mine anyway. I sip more whiskey as I see half the bottle is already gone.

"What man?"

"Was it another woman?"

I lean towards him with a look of woe.

"Yeah. Her name was, uh, none of your fucking business."

"Maybe that was why he left."

"He didn't leave. He come home and didn't see as I watched another woman push her hand down his pants. Shit! My parents are gonna know, shit. That's not gonna be fun. I told them this morning..."

My head falls in my hands as I run them through my hair. My skin blushed from the alcohol as he moved closer to me. A subway comes and goes, most of the voices in the subway quiet down too.

"What are you going to do now, dear?"

"Do you ever stop talking?"

He grinned as he moved closer again. His long fingers wrap around the long stemmed roses as he pick them up, the only thing separating us.

"Hey! Those don't belong to you..."

"We're these hers too?"

"Fucker," I hissed.

I snatch them away and slide to the end of the bench as the metal arm rest digs into my side. My bag slides on the floor between my two feet. He follows close behind, not caring about my traveled distance. I tried to think of a way I was going to hide his dead body as it moved closer to mine. I held the roses in my lap as tears started to fall on their own. My mouth never opened, my voice was silent and I cried as black mascara tears fell from my cheek.

"He was a fool..."

His voice rang in my ears as he leaned forward and kissed my cheek. I closed my eyes, not sure of how to feel. His hand slid under the roses, settling for a moment above my knee. I don't remember ever being touched as intimately like that as they traveled up my pant leg and to the side of my hip. He kisses the side of my mouth. His warm lips were smooth, taking their time to leave my skin. My head turns as he kisses me again, this time all the way on my lips. A warmth collects between my legs as he moans, pressing his tongue past my lips. I open my eyes and see as he pulls back.

"You seem not so distraught now."

I slap his face with force and get to my feet before he tries to take hold of me. The roses fall to the floor as I stumble in my heels. I jerk them off and throw aimlessly at him as he tries to shield himself.

"Fuck. You! You're all the fucking same. Selfish fucking pigs!"

My slurred voice carries over the bustle of the subway.

"You didn't exactly stop me, now did you?"

I pick up the roses and purposely start swinging them at him. People standing near us start cheering me on as the petals fall, covering him as he reaches out to catch my wrist. I let go of the bare stems and catch my breath as the phone blares again. I know who it already is. I grab the phone from the bench and throw it in a random direction. The people shout as the phone shattered to pieces against a pillar.

" _This_ is mine."

I grab my worn bag from the tile floor and turn leaving the stranger on the bench to look for a restroom to change out of my clothes. I turn back and grab the Jameson and flip the bird in his face.

"This is mine too, ass."

I'm able to make it half way to a bathroom as a hooded man stops dead in front of me.

"Hey, girl. Where you headed?"

"To piss."

"Looks like you got baggage. You need some help."

"No. Fuck off."

"That wasn't a question."

He pulls a gun and points it to my face. Anyone else would have soiled themselves scared. I laughed and steadied myself.

"Oooohh. Scary man with a gun. I don't have anything you want."

"How about that shiny rock you had on when you got in here?"

"You mean the one that isn't on my hand anymore, moron. If you can find it on the tracks, you can keep it..."

"What else you got?"

"Clothes." I look at the gun with my blurred vision. "Are you really gonna shot me? For clothes? What would you accomplish out of that? There's cops on the streets and up the stairs. You'd go to jail for murdering an innocent woman for her clothes. I'd laugh at you from the grave as Bubba made you his bitch in jail."

He cocks his gun, aiming it point blank at my face. At this point, I didn't care and I was too drunk to move.

"Mind your distance, boy."

The stranger appears beside us as the man keeps his gun at me.

"Honey," I tell the stranger, "Mommy is busy trying not to get killed right now. Would you just go away and benchfuck a different girl?" I look down the gun. "Hey, dummy. I have Jameson, you want that?"

"Yeah."

"Cool."

I grab his wrist and hold it in place as I spin on the pads of my feet, down the length of the outside of his arm and smash the bottle across his face. He howls in pain as I break his hand to take the gun. I teeter as I point the gun at him. The stranger had only taken a step forward us as he stared at me in shock.

"What?"

My finger slipped to the trigger and squeezed as a bullet hit the hooded man in his arm. I jump, moving my finger away.

"Shit, sorry!"

Screams echo the platform as radios blare with static.

" _Shots fired! Shots fired! Agent 51 is down!_ "

Agent? Those bastards have been following me the whole time. That's what I get for downing almost half a bottle of Jameson. I turn to run as a few people from the platform draw guns and point them to me.

"Drop the gun!"

An agent to my right steps forward as I try to back away.

"No, you fucking set me up! I'm not going back to Hand! I haven't done anything wrong!"

"You both are coming into custody with us."

I look to the stranger, seeing others taking aim at him as he holds his arms up in surrender.

"He didn't do anything. He's just a perv, he's no danger."

"That is where you are entirely wrong, my dear."

"Command! We have Loki and Imaginary underground, we have an agent down and are requesting backup immediately."

_"Backup confirmed. ETA two minutes."_

The stranger leans back to me as his eyes stay to the agents. The next subway starts squealing down the tracks as it stops.

"Do you have plans of death today?"

"No," I whisper.

"How about murder?"

"Not really my cup of tea."

The doors to the sub cars open. No one gets out like it was planned. His hand glowed as he stood straight up. He shot his hand up as the lights blew and sparked down on the agents, distracting them. The man grabbed me by the waist like I weighed nothing and darted for the carts as the doors started to close. He dove in at the last second as we crashed into the metal floor. Bullets hit the glass as the car disappeared into the tunnel. I sobered a good enough amount as I stumbled to my feet. There were a few people on the car that hadn't taken notice of what happened. Good. I would only have a few minutes to think. I rushed to the back of the car and undressed.

"Why do they want you?"

I leave my pants and shirt on the floor as I shimmy into a sundress and hoodie. Sandals slip on my feet as he stands at my side.

"Is it seriously going to kill you to go away?"

"You're not going to survive the night on your own."

"And you are?"

"Yes, actually I can."

I run red lipstick on my bare lips. He reaches up and runs his fingers through my hair, turning the blond streaks into a dark brown.

"What did you do?!"

"I'm helping you."

His clothes faded to look similar to the homeless man that was asleep next to him, only cleaner. His long black hair turned to short red curls with facial hair to match. His eyes changed from green to baby blue as he pulled a pair of glasses to his face. The intercoms scratch with static.

"Why would you help me?"

" _Ladies and gentlemen, this is the end of the line. Thank you for riding._ "

"Shit, we made it before they could stop, but they'll be waiting and looking for us. We've got two minutes, tops."

"Then we have no time to waste, is there?" He picks my bag up and makes it vanish in his arms. "One more thing."

Before I could answer, he had shoved me back against the glass as he latched onto my neck. His lips formed around the nape of my neck. I try to fight him off, not enough to draw attention.

"Stop it," I hiss.

"You didn't have a mark when you entered the subway, this will make them uncomfortable and they will focus on what we use to look like. Just one more thing that they will not expect, my dear."

"What if I'm uncomfortable, you prick?"

His hand snaked up my dress and strokes my slightly wet panties. He chuckles as I try to back away. His arm holds me in place, giving my earlobe a lick.

"You feel like anything but. This," he says moving his hand across my clit, "will just be encouragement for me."

His fingers work into my panties as the subway starts to slow. This was only to help him, yeah right. It was almost a shame that I did enjoy it. My legs start feeling like jelly and my eyes are blinded for the pleasure. He quickly attacks my neck again and sucks as I moan quietly. He lets go, leading me out of the car as the doors open towards the stairs. All we had to do was make it to the main stairwell. My mind blurs from the excitement when I focus and see them coming down the stairs. Three agents in black suits. I grab Loki and shove him into the wall. I lick the side of his neck and lean close, pulling my hair to expose his mark. I take a deep breath and focus to keep us hidden.

As if reading my mind, one of his hands rest on the small of my back while the other tilts my head back. His face buries into my neck as I look up. Sure enough in the reflection of the mirror, the agents give us a quick look and move on before they disappear into the crowds. I grab his hand, breaking away and fake a giggle as more agents enter the subway in regular clothes. He puts his arm around my waist, occasionally slipping to grab my ass as we walk the streets of night, not knowing which direction to take.

"Could you not enjoy yourself so much?"

"We're being followed."

"Shit. Spin me slowly." He lifts my hand and spins me as I see two agents through my eye lashes. I place his arm around my shoulder. "Hipster in last season garb and a cowboy with no big belt buckle. How strong are you?"

"Strong enough."

"Next block, second alley behind a dumpster. I'm going to shove you in first. I need you get indecent real quick, which may be no problem for you and stop smiling. I need you to choose a different name while you're at it."

"Phil. Did I just hear you correctly?"

We crossed the street as we stopped at the alley. With nothing pushing me forward and nothing else to lose but my life, I grabbed him by the front of his pants and pushed him in the darkness.

"Damn right, big boy."

He obliged as he ripped off my panties and tossed them to the sidewalk. He lifted me from the ground, sliding the sundress up and slid inside of me.

"Loki," I moaned accidently as I quickly adjusted to him. I hadn't mentally prepared myself for something like this. The stretch however was better than I thought and I was already wet enough as it was.

"Say my real name, dear."

He pounded into me as I felt the agents down the street. Loki reached down and rubbed at my clit, spiraling me to my climax.

"Oh god."

My moans and gasps echoed the alley as the agents rounded the corner. They saw us and stopped in shock.

"Fuck off," said Loki in an American accent. "Find your own alley."

They ran off and I knew we we're finally alone. I heard them radio that we weren't a threat and move their search near Broadway.

"They're gone," I pant.

"We're not finished here."

He thrusted harder into me and pressed his thumb to my clit as I arch from the wall. My walls clamped down as he came, biting into my shoulder to silence his grunts. He set me down and fixed my clothes as I grab his hand and lead him to a taxi. It takes us to a motel near the Greyhound station. I stop on the outside as he wrapped his arms around me. I know he's just doing it for show but maybe it was a good thing as my legs were still weak.

"Try not to talk anymore, okay Loki?"

"You've got the wrong man, dearest. My name is _Phil_ as you would remember and I know my fiancée would never be unfaithful."

He brings up my hand to show off the ring I threw onto the tracks.

"Oh, what the hell?!"

"It was too beautiful to trash and besides, it belongs on a beautiful hand. If at least for appearance sake."

"In clothes like these?"

"You'll see tomorrow, dear," he says with a wink.

"I have a name you know."

"Yes. What kind of name is Imaginary?"

"I don't know, _Phil_. Let's just go." I pay for a cheap room and lock the door as we stop to take a breath. "I want my bag."

He phases it and hands it over with a wink. I barricade myself in the bathroom and sob under the shower water. The hot water is too distracting so I leave it off altogether. The freezing water clears my head as the past two hours hit me like a speeding car. I redress in jeans and a sweater. I tie back my new hair and make my way out back to the newly lit room. I sit on the floor away from a resting Loki. His redness fades away and his clothes are a bit odd. A long green shirt and black pants. At this rate of changing clothes I would soon be naked but I'm sure he wouldn't care. "So what kind of name is Loki?"

"It's my real name. Imaginary?"

"Technically, that's my "name". I used to work for very bad people but I found a way out, to live a normal life. Everything was fine for the past four months and then today happened."

"What was your specialty?"

"Recon and stealth. I can also pick up on radio chatter and notice certain things about people."

"Such as?"

"A man in a fancy suit sitting in a subway. You were practically screaming for attention."

"What does Shield want with you?"

"They didn't want anything except for me to attack first. Which means they'll kill me when they capture me. I'm a liability. I know a lot of dirty secrets."

"Like what?"

I pull my knees close to my chest. He was very pressing and I didn't want to talk to him anymore.

"There's hot water, go shower."

He shakes his head and leaves me on the floor, slamming the door in the process. I lift myself and sit on the far side of the bed. When the water starts, I move under the covers and weep silently, wishing none of this ever happened. Two hours ago, I was ready for a normal life, now here I was with my past trying to kill me. I close my eyes as my tears slips through my eyelashes.


	2. Chapter 2

 

 

Everything seems like a dream. My back aches as I try to move. Loki has his arm around me tightly. I replay the night in my head as I turn in his arms and try to get comfortable. I look down, seeing him completely nude over the bedsheet. I stare at his size and blush like a teenage girl.

"See anything you like, dearest?"

Loki grins as his eyes stay closed.

He leans in, giving an affectionate kiss. I try to pull away but there's something in his kiss. His hand as it slides up to hold my neck in place, his soft moan that tingles my lips. His free hand pulls my zipper down and reveals my chest as he places a kiss to one of my nipples. His body slowly turns me to my back as he purrs into my skin. I'm almost putty in his arms but I don't want this, at least not right now. I curl up tightly beneath him as I turn back to my original place.

"What's the matter," he asked earnestly as he stopped.

I pull my hood up in embarrassment and go back to sleep.

Everything, everything is quiet and still for blocks. Five blocks, ten blocks. All silent for hours as I hear thundering, like footsteps. They pound on the pavement in formation and make their way up the steps as they use silencers on the owner. They were coming for me. How did I not hear them?

My heart pounded, trying my best to wake up from the nightmare. The door slams open like my eyes as two men in body armor point guns at me. My body hits the headboard as I see I'm in bed alone. Loki is gone but that didn't worry me.

"Secured, Sir. We have her here now."

I pull my sweater together as two old friends walk into the room.

"Ward? Garrett? What the hell?"

"Good morning, Danika. You look good. How have you been?"

"Dumped. That's why I'm here. How did you find me?"

"That ring on your finger says otherwise. That stunt you pulled in the alley almost worked if Grant hadn't followed you and his royal highness. Where is he now? You scare this off too?"

"Let's just cut to the chase. I'm not going back to Hand so you may as well kill me now."

"Come on, Dany. How do you think we escaped Russia last year? You didn't fool anyone. I called them off so we could find you ourselves."

Grant pulled his gun and pointed it to me. Good thing I only fucked him twice, if I had felt anything for him, I would have started crying.

"Get up, Danika or I'll drag you back to the bosses in cuffs. Apparently there is something they need from you first before you join us."

"I think that's how we did it the second time, eh, Grant? I'll kill you both and I'll kill her too."

I bring my knees up to my chest and smile. He smiled as well as he shot the two masked men, making me jump. Garrett looks to my terrorized face as he chuckled, offering me a hand out of bed. I ease out to the other side, away from the both of them.

"Times have changed, Imaginary. A new light out of the darkness beyond Fury and SHIELD. Grant already killed Hand and it was pretty satisfying to watch. We would like you and Loki to have a place with us."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Cut off one head and two more shall take its place. The new era of Hydra is here, Dany."

Hydra? There was no way...

"Fuck you, Ward. What makes you think I'll say yes?"

"The incentives program," says Garrett as he holds up his phone and shows a live feed of my mother and her wife out to lunch at their favorite restaurant.

"It would be a shame to have them expire before their five year anniversary after all the work they put in to be together. When is it, next month?"

I pull the gun from my bag and point it at his head.

"You fucker."

"You have until I count to three or you'll be that close to having no family, not like your mother had a choice to have you in the first place."

My hung-over mind was a blur as my breath started to shorten in my chest.

"One. Two. Th..."

He stops as he stands silent like he's a statue.

"John?"

Grant pokes John in his arm to see if he's awake. Garrett swings his arm up quickly, knocking out Grant. His eyes turn bright green as he holds his phone up. Loki appears behind him as he holds his hand up to keep John in some sort of trance.

"Sorry, love. I only went for a stroll. Good thing there weren't anymore."

I gasp as I try to contain my breath.

"They have my moms."

The words tremble from my mouth and I feel scared for the first time in years. He nods as a wave of green dissolves around Garrett's head. He puts his phone to his head as he speaks into it.

"This is John Garrett. Target is no longer a threat. Disengage the incentives and wait for my orders at base."

_"Copy that, sir. Protocol One in effect."_

I sigh as Loki winks to me. I grab my bag from the floor as we hear two gunshots over his phone.

_"Incentives discarded, Sir. Clean up is on its way in five."_

"No," I whisper.

"Danika?"

Loki tries to look my in the eyes as he reaches out for me. I lunge forward and wrap my fingers tightly around John's throat as he snaps out of his trance.

"I'M GOING TO SCALP YOU, GARRETT!!"

Loki pulls me away and disarms Garrett, who points a hidden gun at my head. I sit on the floor and think of the last time I talked to my mother. It was yesterday morning when I found the ring. She was so happy for me. Now the memory was all I had of her. I remember Loki standing over Ward and Garrett as he chanted and pulled a white haze from their heads.

"Danika?" I stay on the floor as I remain motionless. "We need to go now."

He yanks me from the floor and slaps me as I focus. He pulls me down the stairs and it's all I remember until he kisses the cheek he struck.

"What?"

I shake my head and look around. We are waiting to board a train. He is wearing a suit again as he holds my hand, making the ring visible for all to see. His red hair is trimmed and slicked back. I look down to my body seeing it covered in Vera Wang and a Louis Vuitton on my arm.

My legs feel like rubber as Loki catches me from falling to the floor. We board a train and are led to a first class cabin. Loki locks the door and eases me to the bed. He sits across from me and takes my hand.

"I want my bag. Did I grab it?"

He waves his hand and lets it change the bag back to its original stitching. Tears fall without warning as I touch the bag. I pull it to my chest and roll to the wall as close as I could.

"Danika?"

"Fuck off, Loki."

There is silence behind me as I kick my heels off. The train starts with a shake as the wheels turn underneath us. In my shock, Loki got us safely on a train and away from the city. He moved into bed next to me as he held me. I do my best to rearrange my thoughts.

"He was going to kill them anyway," I sob in realization.

"There was nothing we could do, love."

"I should have killed him."

I start shaking worse as Loki tries to calm me to the point where his hand over my mouth is the only thing keeping the train's security from knocking down our door. He holds me still as I finally fall asleep from exhaustion.

-

_"Ladies and gentlemen, due to weather conditions, there will be a transfer for passengers to Santa Barbara."_

I wake with a start.

"What?"

"Afternoon."

Loki fixes his coat as he hands me my shoes.

"Where are we now?"

"We've entered someplace called Kansas. I suggest we leave with everyone else so we don't draw attention."

"Said the man who put us in a first class cabin."

My head pounds as I gather my things. Loki changes the bag back as he watches me stumble in my heels.

"You need to nourish yourself. You are weaker now than you were yesterday."

"I'm not hungry and I'm not sure I'll be able to keep it down."

"Please. Eat for me?"

We are escorted to the exit by an usher as we follow others to the next train. I find a small kiosk and see nothing appetizing, my stomach was crying out for something but I had no care to answer it. Loki shows our tickets to a man who leads us to another first class car. It either seemed smaller or the bed was bigger. Loki helps me with my heels as I sit on the bed.

"What did you get to eat?"

"I didn't get anything, nothing looked good."

"You did that on purpose."

Loki backs away slowly as he rolls the sleeves of his shirt. The look on his face changed to something dark and challenging, much just like him.

"I wasn't hungry. I don't take orders from you anyway so back the hell off," I hissed as I smooth my hair back.

He chuckles, lunging forward as he held me by my throat to the bed with his body towering over me. He turns my head so I can hear him clearly.

"If you haven't noticed, I have saved your life twice thus far. So if I were you, I would work on getting yourself indebted to me, my dear."

His hand snakes into the back of my shirt as he pulls at my bra closure. I break his balance as I roll him off the bed quickly as he hits the floor. He sits up as he licks his lips but stops long enough to see that I'm at the door without my shoes or bag.

"How about I just toss myself from the train, that way you won't have to worry about saving me so damn much. Does that sound good?"

I slam the door as the wood shakes. I wonder the hall to the dining car as I try to find something to eat. The woman is nice enough to give me a few complimentary sandwiches from the sight of our first class ticket. I finish my food and am surprised as I keep it down. Loki is sitting on the other side of the car when I return.

"Danika, I would like to apologize for what I said."

"We're done. It's in the past and we're not talking about it anymore. Capeesh?"

"What?"

"Never mind," I huff as I toss the sandwiches on his lap.

He gives me a look as I drop to the bed. I show him my empty wrapper and look to the ceiling so I don't have to look at him. I wasn't ready for any more sympathy. It would be a long while until we reached Santa Barbara and I couldn't sleep forever. We could use the spare time to our advantage.

"So why Santa Barbara?"

"I looked into your subconscious and saw what you wanted."

"Please don't go into my head again."

"Danika is a lovely name. Why do they call you imaginary?"

For once, I smile.

"It’s because of what I can really do."

"What would th..."

Loki stops and slowly turns his head to the window, suddenly distracted as I clear my throat.

"You okay?"

"I'm sorry, I was just..."

He focuses as he starts to eat his sandwich. He finishes, wiping the crumbs from his shirt and pants, silently looking out of the window again. He shakes his head from my renewed glee. I push myself further as he sits quietly. I definitely had to use this more often to shut him up.

"How did you do that?"

"I promise to be good. Just tell me the last thing you remember."

"Well, first you were there and then..."

I close my eyes focus harder on him. After a few minutes, as his eyes glue to the wall overhead of me. I move from the bed and slip onto his lap, putting his arm around my waist. I kiss him on the cheek, snapping him back to reality as he grabs onto my hip in alert. I laugh as he stares to me, immersed in my powers.

"I think this was the most you've ever shut up."

"What sorcery is this?"

"It's not sorcery, its science. When I joined Shield, I enlisted myself for a trial drug that strengthens my perception. I was the only one that successfully bonded with the serum and now I can weaken the perception of people and things like cameras, just messing up your focus."

He smirks looking down to my cleavage.

"Well there's more than one way to do that, my dear."

I push away from him as I move into the spacious bed.

"The serum also enhances my senses. I can hear radio chatter, conversations for miles. Sometimes a touch can feel different, food will taste strange and it helps me adapt to changes climates. I was able to last three days in Death Valley without sweating."

"That is indeed interesting."

"With enough practice I'll be able to effect people at level 7 and higher."

"Are you saying my mind isn't powerful enough?"

"No, I'm not saying that. It's just like..." I wasn't really sure how to explain it, "Someone strong was able to control you."

His clothes fade away as he rests in the bed next to me. I had only heard chatter the day that I ran when the Battle of New York happened.

I forcefully retired myself when I arrived in New York. Machines were flying overhead as things were blown to pieces. I found refuge in an alleyway and a dead young girl that had fit my description. If Ward and Garrett were following my trail, then it would all end here. I redressed in her clothes and dressed her in mine.

The minute I stepped away, a creature had appeared around the corner and shoot at the dead girl thinking her alive as it maimed her. The creature snared at me before it screamed, falling to the ground. I had looked up and saw the portal in the sky had closed. I was a bit shaken that day as I was led by a police officer from the alley and into my new life, until yesterday happened. I look down to the ring as Loki strokes the hair away from my eyes.

"We all have to face the consequences of the actions we choose, I guess."

"I wish not to talk about it."

"That's okay. We can always talk about the woman five cars down. She's having sex with a bag boy down near the baggage car."

"How do you know this?"

I tap my ear as we laugh. He pulls me close to him as the 80 sets of wheels gradually start to turn and take us West into the setting sun.


	3. Chapter 3

_"Dany, we've been made. They know we walked into the booby trap."_

_"You need to shut up and trust me, Grant."_

_I pulled his arm as we fled from the security. The front door was too obvious and the safest bet would be the side cargo bay door near the dock. I push us into a storage closet as I try to listen for the guard that were three minutes behind us._

_"They're checking every door and I dropped my gun. They're going to kill us when they find us."_

_"Just shut up and let me think." This wasn't going to be pretty. "Grant, how personal do you take things?"_

_"Not too personal but it really all depends."_

_"Good. Nothing personal." I turn and shove him onto a storage crate, taking him completely by surprise. "Let's hope you're a shower and not a grower."_

_I climb onto his lap, kissing him as I fumbled with his belt._

_"How much time?"_

_I turn my head to check as he sucked hard at the side of my neck._

_"Under two minutes," I moan as he switches places, holding me up to the side of the crate._

_"Good, then nothing personal."_

_He grabs halter of my dress, ripping the strap with one hand as the other snaked under my panties and rubbed at my clit to get me wet._

_"You ass," I hiss ripping open his dress shirt. "I liked this dress."_

_"Just breathe, Dany."_

_He pushes in until his hips had touched mine. He was quick to shallow my gasp with a deep kiss. This had to have been the worst idea I had ever since tagging along with Black Widow and Hawkeye to Budapest. It had been a good long while since I had sex with anyone, I wasn't loose and Grant didn't exactly have a petite muscle in his body._

_I had lost all focus as the friction built in my stomach. Grant's breath was hot at my ear as the door flew open. The guards had guns pointed to us but were quick to retreat as they covered their eyes, mistaking us for guests by the look of our disheveled clothes. They apologized in American accents and rushed away as we fixed ourselves._

_"Are you okay?"_

_"Stop being such a girl, Grant. Let's go before someone gets to the side door."_

_I yank off my heels and follow Grant to the side door into the loading dock and are surprised as two new guards are waiting for us but we are able to knock them out easily. We haul it out to the boats as the timed bomb sets off destroying most of the building. The blast makes it to the dock where we are._

_Grant grabs my hand and we race from the flames to the open water as they reach the dry air of the docks._

_"Jump!"_

_We jump into the water below as a single flame touches my shoulder._

~

"Danika, wake up!"

Loki shakes me awake as I gasp for breath. He turns on the light in the dark room as I see my skin covered in dripping sweat. I crawl from the bed and pry the window open as cool air floods the room. My knees give out as Loki catches me and eases me to the floor.

"Are you alright, what were you dreaming about?"

"I... don't remember."

As I was able to focus again, I could feel my hand burn uncomfortably. The diamond was searing into my ring finger as the flesh around it turned bright red. I cried out as Loki pulled it off quickly and kissed me firmly. I was ready to scream at him but my lips stayed sealed. Loki only gave a wink.

"Do you trust me, pet?"

I shook my head _no_ as hard as I could. He pushed his back against me so that my back was pinned to the wall. His skin turned blue, cooling off my body as he held my finger firmly. He said or more like chanted a few words as a green wave surrounded my finger. The cold and searing flesh made my whole arm throb in pain as I banged my head into his back. I screamed into his back and a minute later he let go as the pain disappeared. My lips slowly pulled apart as I whimpered from my unsteady breaths. I knew I was about to pass out from the excitement. Loki lifted me back to the bed as he left me in my shirt and panties.

"What the hell was that?"

There was a bad set of tremors in my hand and Loki looked at the ring on the floor.

"I've healed the skin, you should feel nothing in a short while."

"How can a ring do that?"

"Perhaps the ring wasn't meant for you."

"Something's wrong if I was sweating with that damn thing on. I haven't sweat since I was a kid. The serum never lets me sweat."

My lungs feel out of control as I feel myself have a panic attack. Loki holds me closer as his skin turns back to normal.

"Try to calm yourself, Danika. Talk to me."

"A-About what?"

"Tell me about your mother."

Over the past few hours, she had been far from my mind. She was just an innocent bystander enjoying her day as Garrett allowed her to be shot.

"It doesn't matter now that she's gone."

"No. It does matter."

"She's dead..."

It was all I could push out as I tried to find my words.

"My mother is dead as well. She died a warrior's death, I was told, dying to protect the woman of my brother. The last time I saw her, I told her that she wasn't my real mother when really I should have thanked her for everything she had done for me. I wasn't hers and she gave me what I needed in life. I know one day when I die, I will see her in Valhalla. I had no one to talk to of a matter like this. You need to let it out. If it's easier, tell me of your father."

Sharing my past was never a strong suit of mine.

"When my mother was my age, she was starting out as an Agent with Shield. She already knew what she was and back then it was dangerous to be that but she didn't care. She had a partner that liked her but she turned him down and told him the truth about herself. He was infuriated and held her down and... got her in trouble. She wanted to get rid of me but her parents were too proud that she was pregnant and she knew none of her superior officers wouldn't do anything. She was only level 1 and he was coming back from suspension as level 6. When she went into labor with me, she shot him in the head with a room full of witnesses. When Fury found out that she was telling the truth, he let her go with a warning and they've been watching over us since then."

I heard a sharp intake of Loki's breath. Maybe he was shocked or maybe he was angered with how I came to be. Most of my life I had dreamed I was made out of love and not hate.

"I am glad you are here now."

"I'd be the luckiest girl alive if that did it for me."

He snickers into my hair as I listen to the passengers asleep in their cabins or drinking in the dining car. So many happy, noisy people carrying on as radio chatter comes from the front of the train.

_"We found Imaginary."_

_"Exercise extreme caution and kill the man we only need her."_

"They know we're here, Loki. They're at the front. We need to hide."

Loki helps me from the bed as I grab my bag. We leave all the clothes behind as we make our way to the back of the train. I hear a silencer go off as the bullet misses my head. Loki shields me as he grabs a knife from thin air and flings it at the gunman's chest, killing him instantly. We make it to the back as the emergency exit locks. My weak arms push and pull at the metal without budging.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck. This is the only way out."

"Move back," he warns as he grabs a bar above his head, lifting himself up and kicking the door from its hinges as the mountain side comes into view.

He grabs me as more shots are fired from the start of the car. He holds me close as he leaps to the mountains below the track as I shriek at the top of my lungs. He jumps from rock to rock as I hold onto him for dear life. Loki stops as the train is finally from our sight. I roll off his back and onto the soft ground as I catch my breath.

"Are you alright?"

"You just jumped a few hundred feet from a moving train and then proceed to jump another couple hundred feet down the mountain side to safety. This is all really just a lot to process. Just... stop talking for a minute..."

I pull a pair of pants from my bag and dress to ease myself from Loki's eyes.

"How did they know we were there?"

"I don't know, they're fricking Shield or Hydra or whoever’s trying to kill us." That's when I stop. "Who are you?"

"Loki."

"Is that it? New York was it or are you hiding more shit for me to smell?"

"We need to go."

"Yeah, okay but we're in the mountains. It should take them a few hours to catch our trail. Where's the ring?"

He pulls it from his pocket and gives it to me for safe keeping.

"Well?"

"First things first, we need to find out where we are..."

-

_*The next day*_

I show my ticket to the bus driver and get on choosing an empty seat in the back. Loki boards a minute later, sitting at the front. The bus fills almost all the way up in minutes. A small family gets on last and Loki gives up the spot to them. He makes his way back to the empty seat next to mine. He's worked on abandoning his proper poses to look like a regularly flawed human being.

"Excuse me, Ma'am. Is this seat taken?"

His American accent is improving as well.

"Oh no, please."

We are silent as the bus leaves the station heading west again, we were already somewhere close to the Colorado boulder. I look out the window, bummed that I'm not enjoying myself as much as I'd wanted to. I always wanted to travel. I end up straining myself after an hour of numbing anyone's perception from the back. Hopefully there wouldn't be anyone with an upset stomach for a while. I turn seeing Loki fast asleep next to me.

The road makes his head slip to my shoulder. I take a good moment to watch him. His fake red hair fading slowly back to black. The glasses slid down his nose as he readjusted himself. I rest my cheek on top his hair, it smells almost like winter with pine and fresh snow. The back of his hand rests at the side of my legs. I lace my fingers with his and admire the smoothness of his skin. I was becoming very jealous of his good looks. He closes his hand with mine as he smiled.

"You are just as beautiful, my dear, if not more."

"I told you to stay out of my head."

"Mmm. It's too much fun. Besides, I enjoy the naughty thoughts that go through your head."

He changed the jeans I wore into a loose Bohemian skirt, his far leg crosses over at the knee to cover me from wondering eyes.

"I stop it," I hiss. "People will know..."

He turns his head and chants a few more words as everyone up to five rows away fell into a deep sleep.

"Now. Where were we?"

His fingers slowly tease at my wet core as he had also willed away my panties. His fingers slip in easily as I try to open myself wider in the small space.

"That's it," he purrs.

Loki pulls them away for a second to have a taste as he moves back to his seat. I'm silent as I wait for what seems like minutes waiting for him to continue.

"Was that it?"

"I only wanted a taste," he smirks. "If I were you, I wouldn't fall asleep or else I'll devour you until you scream my name. The deeper, the better..."

"That doesn't fucking help, Loki. That's not funny."

My hands start to shake as I try to contain myself.

"Danika, I didn't mean it like that."

"I know, I'm... just tired and scared that if I fall asleep, something bad is going to happen."

He moves as close as he can as I try to move him away. Loki pulls me to his lap as we recline in the seat. I try harder to move away until he holds me down by both of my wrists.

"Why won't you let me take care of you," he whispered.

"Why would you want to take care of me?"

"Because in the recent days, life seems to be getting short and I'm not used to losing things I care deeply about."

He lets go as we lay back together in the seat, trying to think of what would happen next.

"What did she look like? Your mother?"

"She was one of the fairest maidens in all of Asgard, the true features of a Queen. She was statuesque, well taught with a sword and had long flowing blonde hair much like yours."

"From what I remember, you changed my hair color."

"Maybe next time, I shall make it as dark as mine."

"You didn't do it right. My eyebrows have to be darker too."

He waved his hand as I feel my brow tingle.

"There we are."

I take his hand, placing it slowly on my thigh as I do my best to spread myself.

"That's not the only place, Loki," I whisper in his ear.

I bite my lip in anticipation as his fingers mold around my sex. His lips tease me, my lips as he turns me into the seat. He massages my folds as his magic works its way between my legs.

"Done."

"Already? That was disappointing."

"You're just looking for trouble aren't you?"

"You are trouble." The ring slides deeper into my jacket pocket. "Loki, we need to get off at the next stop. I know what we have to do."

-

_"I know what I have to do, Grant. You can't tell me you haven't noticed a difference in him."_

_"No. I didn't, Dany., I still don't. He's our S.O. and most of what he does is all for a good reason."_

_"Fuck reason. God, Grant, you are just too fucking stupid for your own good."_

_I had stomped away angry as Grant followed close behind me, shutting the balcony doors from the outside celebration._

_"Dany, the moment you leave, I can no longer protect you."_

_"Protect me from what? Some fake super villain bent of taking over the world? This is our job, day in and day out. What's really going to change if I leave?"_

_"Please just stay. Everything will be alright, I promise."_

_Grant was never an affectionate person. His arms wrapped around me as he held me to the wall. It was strange to see him like this but he always did his job to protect me._

_"Come with me, Grant."_

_"What?"_

_"Leave with me, we can make it on our own."_

_"And what," he snared, "Be homemakers? We're Shield agents, dammit! You need to trust the system."_

_"Fuck you, Ward," I say in one breath._

_I push him away and make my way to my quarters._

_"Dany! Don't make me chase you."_

_"Do whatever you have to do, Grant. I'm done."_

_The second my bedroom door opens, Grant pushes me forward as I land face first on my floor. Before I know it, my hands are cuffed behind my back._

_"I've known for a while that you wanted to leave but this isn't the way. I have orders from Garrett and Hand. If you abandon your station, I take you in."_

_"I'm still in the room."_

_"For now but it wouldn't hurt to try and convince you to stay."_

_He dragged me up from the floor and pushed me back to my bed. At first, he's bent over me and still._

_"Talk to me, Dany. What can I do to convince you to stay?"_

_I knee him in the side as he falls to my side for a moment._

_"You can always drop dead."_

_He snarls as he rips and tears at my clothes until there's nothing left to tear. In the heat of the moment, we kissed like this was something we both had wanted. He may have wanted it but I only wanted to be free. I pretend to fight as he strips himself and teases me with his lips. I let my body react on its own as I writhed under him. He knew how to play me so I would surrender to anything he wanted._

_I was grateful for the handcuffs. Half to keep me from snapping his neck and half to almost keep me from ripping his hair out as he sucked at my clit. I couldn't count how many times he made me come or cry out his name._

_He moved up my body and was relentless to keep me at a high as he pounded me into the mattress. My wrists started to chafe badly from the zip tie cuffs. I finally cleared my head and chose my words carefully._

_"Grant," I pant. "I'll stay. Please..."_

_"I'm not convinced, Dany."_

_He quickens his as he lifts us to his knees._

_"Fuck, Grant. I promise I'll stay with you..."_

_He continues as I see stars at the back of my eyes. We both fell spent back to the mattress as he opened the handcuffs, leaving a kiss to each of my wrists._

_"I know you're lying but please just think about what you’re doing. I don't want you to get hurt."_

_He had wrapped his arms around my waist as I stretched up towards my pillows, slow and steady._

_"_ _I do want to be with you, Dany but we have an obligation to Shield. You really have no idea what you mean to me."_

_"I think I have some idea."_

_He turned his head to rest on my stomach as I injected him with a sedative, he pushed himself away to the floor as he started to slip away weakly. I dress quickly as I grab my mother's bag from the bottom of the bed. I cuff Grant to the bed railing as I kiss him one final time._

_"Dany..."_

_"Try not to miss me too much, Grant."_

_I  kick his pants away and closed the bedroom door and set off into a run away from Shield._

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back when Stan Lee did "Who wants to be a superhero?", Imaginary was the hero I had created for myself and the perception wave adjustment was our superpower because I'm wonderful at being mentally invisible. The show didn't last long and I thought she would have better place in my story.

We shuffled off the bus and wandered down the streets of the early morning. I wasn't ready to tell Loki of my plan and it was easier to unfocus him as he kept trying to get into my head again. The streets of Colorado fill up quickly as we leave a little diner from finishing up our breakfast. The weather would have been chilly for this time of year but I found it calming as the serum beautifully adjusted my poses to the March air.

"So where are we now?"

"Denver, Colorado. Isn't it beautiful?"

"You are quite fond of the cold, aren't you?"

"I enjoy it a lot because other people can't stand it. With the serum everything is different. I feel, see things, and taste them differently. It's like a strange, new color to the rainbow that only I can see."

"You would enjoy my home world very much."

"Where's that?"

"Jotunnhiem. It is the coldest place in all of Yggdrasil. I never got the chance to truly appreciate it before I was snatched away and had my false life set into motion," he says dreadfully.

"You're such a drama queen."

"Do not mock me, woman."

"Chill out. We're here."

The neon of the pawn shop shined brightly as we made our way into the alley. The shop belonged to as ex-Shield techie agent that would have been my S.O. if she hadn't retired four years ago. I wrap my arms around myself and shiver for show as people walk by.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good," I purr with a wink. "The chick inside used to be with Shield, she's young-ish but super smart. I only hope Hydra hasn't gotten to her first. I just gotta be sure."

"So what's the plan?"

"Do you know any other magic tricks?"

"That would all depend on your purposes for them."

"Fine. Can you turn invisible?"

He chuckles as he vanishes into thin air. I feel a wave of heat press me to the brick wall, his hands roam my hips as he leaves a kiss to my neck.

"Does that answer your question, my dear?"

I giggle as I pull myself away from him.

"Stop it," I order to the empty alley, "You can do whatever you want to me later. Right now, we have business. Try and stay close in case anything happens."

We enter as someone else leaves, being unnoticed is impossible as the chime gets my attention. There is a young boy on the other side of the counter on a stool, about 16 or 17 from the lock of his acne.

"How are you today?"

"You're obviously new. Where's Claire?"

"I don't get paid to tell you."

I reach over the counter and slap him as he whines.

"Get her now."

"Bitch."

"Go get her now or I'm going to write you a recommendation letter to a community college."

"Fine."

He sends a text from his phone as I stare him down, it rings a second later as he stares at the phone screen in confusion.

"Well?"

_"In my field of paper flowers and candy clouds of lullabies..."_

_"I lie inside myself for hours and watch my purple sky fly over me."_

"Cool stay here."

The boy hops off his stool and disappears behind a curtain leading into the back of the shop. I notice the cameras around the store, they do well with surveillance but don't pick up on sound. I lean on my elbows against the glass as I fold my hands across my face to hide my mouth.

"If you can hear me, tap my shoulder." I feel the steady tap at my shoulder as I sigh in relief. "I need to know it she's Hydra or not. When I say so, I'll need you to lock the doors so we're not interrupted."

"Consider them sealed."

Loki presses me to the counter as his hands slip under my clothes.

"Jeez, can you not be yourself for five minutes?"

"Can you be silent for one and I shall stop?"

His long fingers on one hand stroked my folds as I tried to wiggle away. I closed my thighs together around his hand as the other hand molds around my breast. I bite back what moans I could, jumping when we hear a door slam open from the back.

Claire pushed the curtain to the wall as she sees me on the other side of the glass. She had changed from her original office look. Over the five years, she had grown dreads, donned glasses, and facial piercings and had tattoos peering out from under her tank top.

I shoot a look to the boy, then back to her as she kept a calm gaze.

"Uh, Trevor. I have some packages waiting at the Post Office for me. I need you to go pick them up and then take the rest of the day off. Be back under two hours and take the van."

"Sweet."

The boy is gone as the door slams behind him.

"Well," she starts. "I never thought I'd see the Guinea Pig would show up at my doorstep."

"It's good to see you too. I like the emo trash look. How have you been?"

"Tired and supposedly dead. You?"

"I got promoted." I clench the gun that was hidden in my hoodie pocket.

"Wow. How many cocks did you have to choke down to get level 6 clearance?"

"You know what they say, choke on one head and two shall take its place. Now, Loki." The door locks and the blinds close, leaving us under neon and black lights as I draw the gun, pointing it to Claire. "Hail, Hydra."

Claire was quick to reach into her boot and fling a knife at my head. I wanted to say I saw my life flash before my eyes but the knife had stopped inches away from my head as Loki appeared.

He caught his breath as his fingers were wrapped around the handle of the blade.

"Holy shit, that was close."

"You're not Hydra either."

"No, you silly bitch, that would have been embarrassing. I hate guns."

"Well, thank god for that."

I toss the gun on the counter. She hops the glass as she embraced me. It was comforting finding someone else that wasn't trying to kill me.

"So you know?"

"Yeah, I have a few dead bodies in my freezer. Who's this then?"

"Claire, Loki. Loki, Claire. Claire is ex-Shield as I said before and I'm basically Loki's bitch. If it wasn't for him, I'd be dead right now."

"Welcome, come on back. You two look like shit."  
"Thanks."

We follow her to the back of the store and wait as she seals us in. Lights quickly fill up the space as my eyes adjust. Claire had a lab made out to her own liking.

"So what's it like to be on the run?"

"The past five days have been fun as hell. Oh and surprise, surprise. Grant's with fucking Hydra, Garrett too."  
"I knew it! I told you he had a muffed up vibe to him. You totally owe me a trip to Iceland! How'd he find you?"

"It's a long story."

"Well, you're obviously here for a reason. I need the details if you want my help."

"Jesse cheated. I left. Met him. Shot an undercover agent. Fled Shield. Met Ward and Garrett. Garrett had mom and Karen killed."

"Shit, babe. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, Loki's helping me through that. More than anything I need you to look at this." I pull the ring from my pocket, sliding it to her. "Jesse bought it, I think they may be after it and I'd like to know why."

Loki had long since removed himself from the conversation. He was seated on Claire’s leather couch as he eyes wondered around the room.

"I'm guessing you'll need papers too."

"I'm sorry."

"Have you talked to Maria? I'm extremely positive she's not with Hydra."

"She's a last choice. I'm not going to go running to her."

"Look. If you haven't noticed, we are now an extinct species. All these lizard Hydra bitches are out for our throats. Either you call her or I will."

"Fine, I'll give her a ring when we leave."

"Which isn't gonna be for a few hours, so take a rest on the couch, get something to eat. If you two are gonna fuck, then go to the bathroom and turn on the fan so I don't hear you."

"I need sleep more than I need penis."

"One more thing, I know his face from New York," she says pointing to Loki who meets her gaze. She pulls out a magnum, setting it casually on her desk. "I just want to let you know if you try any shit, I will not hesitate to put a bullet in your alien head. Capeesh?"

"What is Capeesh?"

"Just say yes and don't scare her."

"You have my word, Miss Claire."

"Cool, now get some rest. You two are gonna be here for a few hours."

I sit next to Loki as Claire moves around her lab. Loki rubs at my shoulders to relax me but it really doesn't help.

"Rest."

"I'm still scared."

"Here."

He removes his jacket, making a pillow on his leg, I pull off my musty boots and lay out on the couch.

"This feels weird."

I mold quickly to the couch and Loki's leg as he runs his fingers through my hair.

"All will be well, Dany."

"Don't ever call me that."

"You have my word, my little Imaginary. Just relax."

 

_"Just relax."_

_I was in a clinic, some place I thought I'd never be. The nurse was more than easing as she touched my knee, seeing the panic in my face._

_I ran for a month before I ran into the Battle of New York and three months later I thought it was the stress of staying hidden. This wasn't the most functional day of my life. I try not to think of what mom would think if I told where I was right now. She nearly would have done the same thing with me and I wouldn't have blamed her._

_I sat on the examination table, shaking mostly from the shame. It wasn't Jesse's. He was a gentleman and was taking his time with me. There was only one other person and... I couldn't bear to even think of his face or what he would say. Most Shield agents didn't have a personal family life anyway, so Grant would have probably acted differently, then again, it would have been one more way I would have stayed his._

_I clench onto the robe as I lay back and look at the ceiling._

_I couldn't carry this burden and I wasn't ready for what I couldn't have._

_What I couldn't protect._

_I couldn't..._

_This was the only way to protect it._

 

"Danika."

I never thought about that day. I had kept it locked away at the back of my head with the rest of the secrets.

"What?"

"Here. Eat this."

Claire placed a plate beside me with eggs and toast.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"About seven hours. How do you feel?"

My head had stopped hurting but my body was still sore. The smell of food made my stomach growl something fierce. I finish my food, trying to focus on keep the food down.

"You eat like an animal," said Loki as he watched me eat.

"It's better than vending machines."

"Perhaps later we can _bathe_ together," he whispers as Claire returns to her desk.

"So," starts Claire, "There is something you're not telling me and I'm sure its got something to do with that focus juice in your head."

"After New York, we got on a train, to get out of the city. That night I had this dream about the mission in Russia."

"Oh, Russia..." Claire started gyrating as Loki hid a smile.

"Ha ha. Remember when I told you I though the flames touched me? I woke up from that part and I was sweating everywhere, not just a single drop. I was sweating like a sinner in church. I was wearing the ring and it started burning around my finger, like, badly."

"Your finger is fine," she mumbles as she goes back to the ring.

"I was able to heal the flesh."

"No, wait. I can see the burnt skin. Do you want the good news or the bad news?"

"Bad news."

"It's all bad news and I have to tell you the good news first in order for it to make sense."

"Okay."

"This ring isn't any kind of silver. It's Ballatronnon. A few years back when I made level 8, Shield scientists were finishing up perfecting this drug but Shield itself didn't approve of it. So they kept it hidden until they got the go-ahead to approve it for testing. They would ship it with other drugs to other sites for further development and they used the strips of Ballatronnon to find it. They would dip it into the solution and the chemical reaction would heat it up. The drug was Defigo."

Of course, it was. Loki tried his best to keep up with us.

"What's Defigo?"

"Defigo is the name of the drug they injected into me. Jesse had the ring and he wasn't with Shield. Fucking Hydra! So he knew, Ward and Garrett knew, everyone knew!"

"I think what happened was when you were dreaming, your internal temperature spiked and when your pores adjusted, the serum noticed it. When ring recognized the serum, that was when it heated."

"They were tagging me. What are we going to do?"

"I suggest you find Maria. Stat. If Hydra's out for you, it can't be good news. You were the only one that didn't have any negative side effects from the drug. They may need something in your anti-bodies." She drops a folder on my lap as I flip through the new papers.

"What are those?"

"New identities for us to lay low for a while until we are safe."

"Are papers really going to guarantee security? That is what I am for."

"What happens if we're caught and they kill you? I'll be alone again." The papers are more than real as I make Loki put them in my bag and make it vanish.

"I give you my word that I will always be here for you. What name was chosen for me?"

"Donovan Lukison. You got promoted from _Phil_."

"What is yours?"

"Danielle. Highly unoriginal."

"I'm saving your life but I suggest you stay shy of D.C.," said Claire as she flipped the ring in her hand. "...and you have nothing to worry about. I got camera's three blocks out if anything suspicious comes our way."

I check just to be sure. I hear nothing, no radio chatter, and no more police over the sound of squealing wheels as a heavy vehicle crashes into the side of the shop, shaking the lab. Loki is on his feet in an instant as Claire grabs her gun. They had found us.

"Is that them?"

"It'll be okay, they always send amateurs to finish a big boy job."

I can hear twenty sets of footsteps as two more sets casually stop at the door.

"Danika?"

It was Jesse.

"Son of a bitch," I whisper under my breath. Loki grabs my hand as he hands me a knife.

"Danika, look at me. We are going to be alright."

The scrapping of metal gets our attention as the ground starts to shake.

"Open the door, Imaginary!"

Garrett was there too. Claire got out her phone as she sent a text. Her smug face had changed to fear as she cocked her gun.

"He'll be safe," she said as she pounded her fist a single time on a button on the wall.

Glass cases closed around various parts of the lab. I looked as the desk was crushed under the glass cases the ring disappeared into the breaking wood as a weight had been lifted. The case had filled with fire and smoke as did the other.

"What do we do?"

"We vacate in four minutes because at minute five, the whole place gets gassed with Napalm, no matter what's in here."

The small blade flips easily in my fingers as Claire goes for the door.

"Then I suggest we get a move-on."

"Ladies," says Loki as four other clones appear, "Might I suggest you stay behind me?"

"Show off," I giggle.

Claire pushes the door open and hell breaks loose. The copies rush from the door, taking out men in the front and the back as we try to find cover. Glass shatters everywhere as I find my gun on the floor. All I could see was Loki's clones fading fast and dead Hydra bodies hitting the carpeted floor.

I am able to knock out three men as I make a break for the door. Garrett spots me as he rounds the corner for a shot. Claire pushes me to the floor at the last minute as he fires a shot. We land on our side as I see Claire. The side of her white tank is drenched with blood and part of her side is on the floor. She does her best to hold what she can in. Death had found me again.

"G-Go."

Loki finally finds us as the bullets continue firing.

"Save her," I sob.

"I cannot, she is too far gone."

"Don't you tell me that!! You save her right now!"

"No," she coughs as blood falls freely from her mouth. "You take her and you run. You fu... keep her safe or I will haunt you."

"You have my word, Miss Claire."

"Run now, you have two minutes."

"Garrett!" I look over the glass as Jesse and one last merc rush from the back. "This place is about to be fumed."

The glass starts to lower as Loki lifts me from the floor and out of the door as I scream for Claire. No, this wasn't right. We find shelter near dumpsters as Loki holds me as still as he can. He covers my mouth as my screams and tears cover his skin.

Garrett and Jesse run for the door as it gets close to sealing. Claire weakly launches herself at the last man as they hit the glass. He pounds at the side as she puts a bullet in his head. A second later, she disappears in the smoke with a smile to Garrett and Jesse as her body falls out of sight. A smell of gas and smoke come from the top vents of the building as I heave my cries into Loki's palm.

"Breathe, Danika. Breathe."

He lets go as I see Garrett turn red in fear and frustration. I look to Loki and don't realize as I put him into a haze.

"Garrett!"

He and Jesse split off into separate directions at the sound of my voice. I chose to spill Jesse's blood as I follow him into the alley. The smell worsens as Jesse's gets sick from the odor of the gas. My body functions properly as I tackle him to the concrete.

The man that was once the love off my life turned onto his back as I straddled him. I pin him arms together as I drive the heel of my hand into his nose as he screams in pain.

"You sick bastard! I hope all this was worth it."

"I would have said sticking you would have been worth it but I don't take Grant's sloppy seconds. You should see the girl he's got now. She is, _daahhhh_!"

I pull at his broken nose, slipping away as the blood flows.

"You knew the whole time."

"Don't flatter yourself. I'm ex-black ops."

"And you helped murder my mother. I don't know why I'm keeping you alive, right now."

"The same way I'm keeping you alive, I need something from you."

"What?"

"Just you. Tissue samples, blood, spinal fluid, anything they can get their hands on. You were the only one that survived the trails of Defigo."

"You’re lying."

"I supplied the body bags," he chortles as he spits blood to the sidewalk.

"Danika!"

Loki speeds down the alley as I'm knocked to the ground. I use my weight to roll him back under me as I pinch his nose harder. I find myself smiling as he screams louder in pain.

"How did you find us?"

"Left pants pocket!"

I reach in, coming out with a phone as I look to two dots on the screen. One was red while the other was black.

"What is this?"

"Press the black dot."

My finger flies to the screen as a ringtone comes from Loki. He pulls Garrett's phone from his pocket as my mouth drops open. I remember it in Garrett's hand as he gave the order to kill my mother.

"What have you done, Loki?"

Loki is shot with a hidden gun from Jesse's sleeve. I swing my legs down onto his arm as I break the metal and Jesse's arm with a mighty snap. Jesse howls in pain as I gain the higher ground. I pull the gun from his coat as his smile disappears.

I aim squarely between his eyes with focus.

"Hail Hydra, bitch."

I only remember one shot as Jesse's head covers the sidewalk. I run to Loki as he pulls the bullet from his shoulder. His skin heals instantly as he rises to his feet. There were no words that described how I felt, except one.

"Why?"

"I don't understand," he says looking to the phone.

I snatch it away and smash it on the ground picking out the tracking device disguised as a fake Sim card.

"This was how they found us. On the train, here. Why the fuck would you keep this in your pocket? So many people just died in the past ten minutes that didn't have to."

"You would have speared Jesse?"

"No."

"Then don't question my actions, Danika. You seem to be taking death lighter than you say."

_Fuck you._

I didn't have enough strength to say out loud as I walked away. Sirens blared and firetruck lights blinded me as the evening was approaching. My breath was steady as I left Loki behind. I didn't even check to see if he was following me.

I look around, seeing myself inside an old phone booth as my tear fall without emotion. Loki appears from the corner as he slowly opens the door.

"We are fifteen blocks away from Miss Claire’s shop. There are many vehicles there now trying to contain her space. Perhaps we should use this time to our advantage."

I pull the phone from the receiver as I dial my last life line. The ring is steady and there could have been a chance the number had changed.

"This is Hill."

Her voice was beautiful as I sobbed into the mouth piece.

"Maria..."

"Who is this?"

"Claire is dead. Hydra showed."

"Danika? Hang up the phone and run."

"Where?"

"Run until I find you. Go now."

The line goes dead as Loki eyes the streets.

"We need... Where are we going to go? Loki, I..."

"Perhaps you should let me choose the destination this time."

I shake my head as it started to spin.

"I don't feel good."

Loki is able to move as I hurl my eggs and toast into the edge of the phone booth.

 


	5. Chapter 5

 

My eyes stayed to the floor, I don't say or hear anything though Loki did check to make sure I was functional and still breathing. My hand was always glued to his and the only thing I could come close to feeling was his body heat. He tried whispering soft things, encouragements, sweet things to me and I was grateful still. Why was he still here?

All the bus steps blurred together in my vision as Loki stopped me. His mouth formed some words.

_ Stay here.  _

He moved towards the ticket booth as I turned to the direction or stairs as they called to me. I didn't look anywhere or to where I was going, I kept moving because that all I did now. Move from one place to the other. I remember Mom said something about how sharks never stop swimming or else they would die.

My feet dragged me at the long flight of stairs until they stop at a gardened area with an opened skylight. Color returns into my vision as the deep green blends together with the controlled mesh of flowers. Mom would have loved this, the aroma winding through the metal of the gate.

I sit on the bench watching a smaller Pilipino woman wiping her hands as she gathers her tools from the garden. I can hear that her heartbeat is strong for her age.

"Ello, pretty girl." She places a white lily from her collection into my hand. The petals are fresh and firm. "Pretty flower for pretty smile girl."

She is gone before I can thank her. The edges of my mouth widen as I felt at peace for the first time in a long while. Loki sits next to me but not as he did a week ago.

We had hitched rides, walked the highways, and even at one point he carried me on his back as he marched on. We stayed in the mountains or the woods. He said he was scared to use his magic in case they could track it. We had both wiped away what dirt we could and kept moving as he held my hand tenderly along the way.

He took the lily from my hand and places it in my hair. My loose brown waves where oily beyond reason.

"Why are you still here?"

"You left. I wanted to know where you went."

"You killed a couple hundred people for the illusion that you could rule something you couldn't control. You could've just run in the other direction and let me run on my own."

"I cannot atone for what I did, Danika. I can make sure they don't cut you open like an animal for their benefit." His fingers wrapped around my hand.

"Why me?"

He stood to his feet, pulling me up with him as he left a single, long kiss to my dry lips.

"I gave you my word and I will honor it until my last breath."

He leads me back to the garage floor as we board the bus. We pick our seats as he envelopes me.

"I need you to put me to sleep, Loki. Just until we get somewhere."

"If you wish, my love."

I didn't have time to ask him what he meant. His fingers glowed as they ran through my hair. Mom used to same thing.

_ "Just look at that hair, I should start calling you Goldilocks."  _

_ "No!"  _

_ "Why not," she laughed as she put my hair in pigtails.  _

_ "People will think I steal porridge."  _

_ I remember I was five and my mother was getting me ready for school. Shield had moved us for some reason I didn't know. Mom had quit and was always scared someone would come take me away.  _

_ "How about Curly Top then?"  _

_ "No."  _

_ "How about Danika since you like it so much?"  _

_ "I like it cause it’s my name, Smarty."  _

_ "Yes, you are definitely my daughter. Let's go before the bus passes us."  _

_ I remember my mother putting something shiny in her bag. It only made sense now that it was a gun. We left the apartment in a hurry, she was always looking over her shoulder like someone was watching her. I tried to keep up. She stopped at the corner as a white car pulled up.  _

_ "Stacey."  _

_ "Hi Karen. This is Danika. Say hello, honey."  _

_ "Hello honey."  _

_ She opened the door and pushed me into the back as she dropped the bag in the front seat. She kissed my forehead as she pulled herself away. I moved in the seat as she had buckled me in too tight, she was already on the other side of the car talking to Karen. I never knew why until now.  _

_ "Just for a week, two tops until I can get to Fury and shake them."  _

_ "Just be careful. She'll be safe, Santa Barbara's beautiful this time of year."  _

_ "Thank you, sweetie." She leaned in the car kissing her on the lips before she opened the back door again. "Danika, mommy lied about getting you ready for school. She has some business to take care of. Her friend Ms. Karen will be taking care of you for a few days. Okay. I need you to be a good girl. Can you do that for me?"  _

_ I wanted to cry but I didn't know how to at the moment.  _

_ "'Kay."  _

_ She kissed me on the forehead so many times, looking out the window as she caught her breath. She slammed the car as I peered out of the window. I saw a man run to the car as Ms. Karen started to drive away. The man got closer to the car as my mom stood in his way.  _

_ "Ma'am? Ma'am!"  _

_ The windows rolled up as I stay quiet.  _

_ "Maybe in a little bit we can get some ice cream? But after lunch of course, do you like bologna?"  _

_ I started crying as I sank into the backseat, wishing I would disappear. I closed my eyes and prayed for my mother.  _

_ "Honey, are you okay?" Maybe if I had pretended harder, I would be invisible so she wouldn't talk anymore. "Dany? Danika?"  _

"Danielle?"

I was surprised for a moment like someone thinking I looked like someone else. Loki was in the aisle of the bus as the last few people got off.

"What happened?"

"We're here."

My legs were shaky as I got off the bus. It had clearly been a few hours but my bones still ached for days of sleeping in bus seats. My eyes shot at the many colors as Loki held me close.

"You took us to Nevada?"

There was so many images of poker chips and playing cards. I feared the worst as we got outside.

"It's better to disappear into a crowd than it is into a forest."

The wind tousled his fake red hair as neon of the Las Vegas lights reflected from his smile.

"Fine, let's just find somewhere with a bed and running hot water." We walked the streets in a curious daze as we tried to agree to places. After a while of arguing, he tossed me over his shoulder and ignored me. I amused myself by waving at random strangers, growing board as he walked into the sidewalk with bright lights casting our shadow.

"I promise to be good if you let me down."

"Good, we are here."

He slides me from his shoulder as I look around.

" _Caesar's Palace_? Really?"

"What? I am a prince after all, we shall lounge in style tonight, my dear."

"I'll probably be asleep before then."

He stops me at a row of phone booths.

"Stay here."

He goes to the desk and I watch for a good ten minutes as he returns with a smile on his face.

"I'm going to break your cheek bone if you put us in the penthouse."

No, why would you think I would do something like that? We'll eat first then go for rest."

We let our noses find the food for us as we attack the buffet. After an hour of eating and several cups of water later, we made our way back to the elevators with our heads down. The lobby had cameras and each second was torture. Loki grabbed at my ass to ease me into laughing. I turned in his arms as I let my hand wonder to the front of his pants.

"Would you contain yourself woman," he said as he lead me to the open elevator, "We're supposed to be hidden, not flaunting ourselves about."

"Ass," I giggle. The small contained elevator felt like the safest place to be as the doors opened to our floor. I follow him down the halls as he finds our room. It's quaint and homey as I start to relax. Loki already has a shower started as he strips.

"Would you care to join me, _Danielle_?"

"No, _Donovan_. I can shower myself, just leave me some hot water."

"Suit yourself."

I close the door behind him as I sit on the floor. I place my hands on the AC as the serum plays with the cooling breeze. Loki appears a while later as he emerges pink and new. I laugh at the fresh sight of him.

"Are you going to give Donovan a new look?"

"I thinking about that actually. I left some water, call me if you need help."

"I'll keep that in mind."

I shead every bit of clothing I wear in seconds as I jump under the steaming water. It was pure bliss after days of not showering. I scrub everything as hard and as quickly as I can. My hair loses some of the oil as I rinse out the soap. I may have smelled like the Holiday Inn but I wasn't complaining anymore.

The water turned cold as I sat on the edge of the tub, letting the freezing water run off the ends of my fingertips. A part of me felt surprised Loki didn't try to sneak in for a go at me. I leave the bathroom finding him asleep on top of the bed sheet. The alien part of him must have been completely exhausted as I was.

I pull my towel closer as I sit on my side of the bed, he was laid out on his back with part of the covers over him. He didn't have much strength to pull them up the rest of the way as he fell into sleep. I cover him the rest of the way and let my fingers trail the rest of his body.

He shifts in his sleep as I trace, admire the ripples of his stomach, his chest. He really did look like an angel, though I'd never take him for a prince. I ran my thumb over his lip, wanting badly from him to kiss me again, as much as he wanted but I wanted him to rest more.

I wasn't sure how long we were going to keep this Cat and Mouse thing going out until we were caught or killed. Were we ever going to be safe? Life had been so crazy before and now it was just going to get worse. They would butcher us both for the cause of Hydra.

He was right, life was short. I only wanted to sit and stare at him. I lean over and kiss his smooth lips as I smile.

"I love you, Loki," I whisper as move into the bed next to him. The early afternoon was blinded by the dark shades as I pulled the covers close to me. There was so much radio chatter, it felt like a lullaby or something soft as I dozed silently...

-

_ Loki waited as long as it took until she was in a deep sleep. He didn't want to push any of his spells onto her that she didn't need. He turned, wrapping is arm firmly around Danika as he buried his face into her hair.  _

_ "I love you too, my sweet Danika."  _

_ So much had changed in a short period of time.  _

_ He had walked into the urban subway for his own amusement as he picked a random direction. The sounds to the metal on wheels eased his mind until he saw her sit and stare off into space. Her mind was blank and unfilled with nonsense as the other cattle that went about their business.  _

_ Her focus was thrilling to him. He occasionally saw the image of a man that held her but then he was gone with only one word in her mind as she was silent.  _

_ "Why?"  _

_ Her device annoyed him to a great fault as he opened his mouth.  _

_...and he was glad that he did or he wouldn't be where he was now, with an extraordinary woman in his arms. He waited a greater while longer as he dressed in fresh summoned clothes and slid the room key in his pocket. She would still be asleep when he got back.  _

_ The journey back to the ground floor left him nervous. He had fought in the greatest battles in all of Yggdrasil and the nest few hours would be more challenging than he could have imagined. He wished Frigga was there to counsel him to his next choice of action. He took one last look in the mirror to make sure the red color was still there. Maybe it was time for another change.  _

_ "You would have loved her, mother."  _

_ He stopped at the front desk as he was greeted by the young man that gave him his room key earlier in the day.  _

_ "Good evening, Mr. Lukison. Are you enjoying your stay?"  _

_ "Yes, thank you. Tell me, you know the areas of this city?"  _

_ "I do, it's kind of my job."  _

_ "Good then, dear boy. I'm in need of information and transportation."  _


	6. Chapter 6

She was humming The Smiths but not _How soon is now_. Her voice was sweet as she combed my hair back.

"I never would have named you _Danielle_. It's so common."

"I know, right? The papers look so real though."

"How do you want your hair? It'll look different now that you let your boyfriend dye it."

"He's n..." She felt so real, like she really was there. The wood from her bedroom vanity was familiar. My eyes flew open and there she was. "Mom?"

"Hello, my little Imaginary." My voice cracked as she reached over the chair from behind and hugged me as I saw her in the vanity mirror. "I'll have none of that now. Understand me?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"You did well keeping yourself alive after all this time, sweetie. I'm so proud of you."

"But Garret had you killed and I couldn't save you."

"That is life, Danika. We're never really safe, only safer. Haven't you learned that from the horror movies? We worked for Shield, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Thankfully that bastard Jesse is getting it in hell with your father. It was satisfying to watch."

I wanted to ask her so many questions but couldn't find the breath to ask.

"So you're..."

"Oh, I'm fine. Death isn't all its cracked up to be. Karen took a while to adjust and the Clarrie woman was actually fine, she's watching over the boy."

"That's good."

I remembered him from the shop and didn't know his name. That's how it was going to stay.

"Not saying that he's had the cleanest bill of goodness in his past but he is doing the best job of caring for you. I knew there wasn't a man on Earth that deserved you. This one is practically your guardian angel."

"I know, mom."

"Would you like me to do your hair? In the bun?"

"Yeah, you know how to do it right."

"One day, you'll get the hang of it too, so you can show your children."

She grabbed softly at my colored hair as she twisted and pulled it into perfection as it sat just below my left ear. I would definitely have to keep on practicing to make her proud.

"I miss you so much, mom."

She ignored my tears as she smiles into the vanity mirror.

"You know what would go great with this? A wedding dress."

"What? Stop playing, mom."

"I'm just saying, honey," she giggled as she turned away.

I stretched in the chair as I felt the mattress take its place. My eyes stared at the ceiling as I smiled in Mom's direction. I was never religious but I knew she was in a safer place. I felt my hair, undid and wet from the shower. The white lily had fallen to the floor as I placed it safely on the bedside table.

"Thanks, Mom."

Loki wasn't in the bed as I imagined he was out stretching his legs or gone off the eat Vegas out of its food. I heard his steady footsteps in the hall as I turned to greet him at the door. He was dressed in fresh clothes and a suspicious smile. I move from the bed to remove any obstacles between us.

"Hello, Darling."

"Heyhey. Went to walk?"

"You could say that? Are you rested?"

"Yes, I think we need a bed for once. Why do you seem like you're up to something?"

"Because it's fun." He pulls a deep forest green cloth from his pocket as he looms over me. "Close your eyes."

I do as I'm told while he wraps the cloth around my eyes.

"Is it safe enough to be doing something like this?"

"I believe there's no better time than now," he whispers as he pulls the towel from my body. He moans as he places a kiss at my neck. "You are making this very difficult for me. Try not to move."

I stand still as I feel the waves of his magic on my skin. He chuckles in approval as he leads me forward.

"What are you doing?"

"Just trust me like you have this whole time. You will not regret this."

I blindly follow him as we step onto the first floor. I try not to listen if it would ruin the surprise.

"Hello, Mr. Lukison. Everything is arranged and the car is here."

I really didn't want to ruin whatever he had planned but this was not laying low. I sit in the back seat with my palms up as he instructed me to.

"Are you nervous?"

"Should I be Mr. Lukison?"

"All in due time."

The car stops as quickly as we got into the car or maybe it was just the uncertainty of not knowing that lead me to lose track of time. Loki helped me from the car as I kept my footing on what sounded like the concrete. I hear another set of steps as I hold my breath.

"Hello," says a woman with a soft voice. "Welcome to Eros' Quiver. We're almost ready setting up and let you know when you are next."

"Thank you," says Loki as he pulls the blindfold from me.

My eyes wonder to a chapel. It wasn't panic or uncertainty that struck me. It was all too beautiful. The cream pillars were decorated with golden sashes. The young woman was escorting another couple from the aisle as Loki turned me to him. I look in the body length mirror beside us to what he dressed me in.

It was a white lace floor length dress with a jeweled cloth sewn under the bust. The wide sleeves were lace too and the fabric fit my body perfectly. My face looked different with makeup on and my hair was twisted into the bun my mother made perfectly. His own red hair was slicked back and he sore the same suit he wore in the subway.

"So what have you been up to while I was asleep?"

"Keeping you safe."

"There must be a reason for all of this."

"Danika Nathan," he gets on his knee as he pulls a dark silver woven ring from his pocket. Small green gems were placed in the bits of dark silver. "Will you allow me to care for you as I have thus far? Will you be mine?"

"I thought I already was."

"Midgardians require a certain answer, my dear. Will you marry me?"

"Yes."

He beamed with joy as got to his feet, summoning a small bouquet of white lilies.

"Would a lace veil be too much?"

"The dress is screaming for attention."

"As it should be, shall we?"

Loki led me down the aisle as the minister watched. Mom and Karen would have cried, they were always so sentimental. Most of the words were useless to my ears as Loki held my hand, so secure and smooth.

"Do you Donovan take Danielle to be your lawfully wedded wife to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"I do."

"And do you Danielle take Donovan to be your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

"Yes, I do."

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."

Loki had pulled me into his arms as we savored our promise. He swept me into his arms as he darted with me to the car. He was trying his best to stay in his seat.

"You really are trouble, aren't you?"

"You are always looking for trouble, Mrs. Lukison."

"I concur greatly, your highness."

We arrived back at the hotel as he carried me through the lobby. The staff from reception clapped as they saw us.

"She said _Yes_ ," Loki roared as everyone cheered. I toss the lilies over my head and watch as a group of girls fight over them. The doors close leaving us in silence. I try wiggling away from him but he holds me tight.

"You can let me down, now. I want to walk." I playfully push myself to the ground for a second as Loki hauls me over his shoulder. The gown makes me slide from him as I grab onto the back of his jacket. "Loki! Put me down!"

He ignores me with a snicker.

"That's not what your Midgardian traditions assert. I must carry you all the way, my wife."

" _My wife._ "

He hand strikes my ass as I squeal in laughter.

"Are you going to behave or am I going to have to restrain you?"

"I'll be good, just get me off your shoulder!"

I slide into his arms again as he opens the room door, shutting it with one swing of his foot.

The room was lighter than I had imagined as he set me on the floor. He wasted no time with me as his fingers left feather light touches at my arms, giving me goosebumps that the serum didn't fight. He kisses boldly at my now naked shoulder as he started to peel the lace from my skin.

"Do you have any requests for tonight, my wife?"

"No magic," I whisper over my shoulder, "...the first time."

"As you wish."

I am quick to turn and stop him from removing my dress. I grab the lapels of his suit and slide it off his arms.

"Let me."

Everything unbuttons and slides down without protest as his eyes burn at my skin.

"My turn." He turns me to the wall as he unbuttons the back of the dress, taking his time as he teases the back of my neck with the small of his teeth. My legs were already trembling as the dress hit the floor, leaving me in only a white corset. "You really do look ravishing in any clothing. Let's see how you look underneath."

He pulls me to the bed as he towers over me. My body trembled as it touched the fresh sheets of the bed. Loki crept down, leaving a kiss here and there until he spread my legs and let a growl loose. My legs tensed as he tasted what had been waiting for him for days. His tongue was torture as my nerves twisted in pleasure.

His hunger reached my clit as his fingers drew out moan after moan as my hands clutched at the bedsheets. He held my body down as it shook from the force of my climax. Lust pulsed in me as he licked his lips and gazing at me with a hooded darkness in his eyes.

"Aren't you glad we have the bed rather than a bus seat?"

"Greatly."

A wave of pleasure broke out through me as his size stretched me. He swallowed my moans as he pawed and grasped at my skin, his hips undulating to mine as my nails dug into his back.

He stopped for a moment as his hands shredded the corset, tearing the fabric from the seams that held in together. I was lost to him as he claimed me, draw bliss from me as his mouth found new places to mark.

I held on as tightly as I could as I arched from the mattress. My wall constricted around him as he used the moment and came with a growl and teeth marks to my neck. The serum was working hard to keep up with my body temperature as we caught our breath in the moment.

A heaviness was quickly washing over me as I pulled him close. He was finally mine, my protector, and my husband as he lifted me from the bed to draw the covers over me but his lips stayed at my skin.

I was binded and safe in his arms as his cherished tenderness gave me hope that maybe all of this, everything was going to be okay.

 

-

 

I felt heavy on the mattress as everything was quiet. My head sank into the pillows as I yawned. Loki rested on top of me as he slept, he kept the red from his hair as I pushed it from his eyes. He woke as he smiled up to me.

"Good morning, Mrs. Lukison," he purred as he pulled myself up the mattress to my lips.

"Good morning."

He stroked my thighs as he snaked between my legs. He moaned against my lips, satisfied at my wetness. He filled me without a word as my head fell into the pillows, his arm held me up from the mattress as his length left me breathless. He kissed tenderly at my neck, peppering me with kisses as I whimpered.

"Such a lovely voice, my love."

A rang thunders the room as we stop. He grin as he tries pressing me to the bed but I'm able to pull myself away as I answer the phone. We had only paid for one night and were told check out would be soon unless we were going to pay for another night.

"Can I call you back in a minute?" I hung up and covered myself as make Loki focus as he tries pulling it away. "Hey! Chill out for a minute. How long are we staying?"

"For as long as you wish."

"We can't stay in one place for a while. We have to keep moving."

"Just one more night with the bed and then we shall move on. Is there anywhere you desire to visit?"

"You said you've never been to your home so we can always go somewhere cold next. So you can have some idea of what it might feel like."

His fingers run through my hair as he pulls me to his lap.

"That sounds wonderful."

"Cool, now give me some clothes some I can pay for another night."

"I'll go but I'm giving you clothes only so I can rip them from you later."

"Deal."

I move to the bathroom for a shower as he stayed close. I disappear behind the shower curtain as he stands at the door. I was hoping he was reading my mind.

"Keep it up and I'll use my magic to keep you to the bed while I get back."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." My hand slips between my legs as a single moan escapes me. His is heard feet away as a knock is heard outside the door. "That may be housekeeping. Let them know we'll be done in a few minutes, if they want to wait."

I heard the door open, then a thud as someone falls to the ground.

"Loki?"

The door opens as I crouch down behind the dark curtain. The footsteps were heavy but lighter as I closed my eyes and dulled whoever was in the bathroom.

"She's in the bathroom!"

I have no time to react as something is fired through the curtain into my arm. I seize for a single second as the serum tries to counter whatever is in my system. My body is caught before my head hits the tub floor. Grant smiles to me as he lifts me from the bathroom wrapping me in a towel.

"Keep him ICE'd. He's Asgardian."

I saw Loki on the floor as three men had him shot every few seconds. He winced in pain as he tried not to scream. I should have known he would fine us. Grant placed me on the desk chair as he cuffed my hands behind the wood. I tried to pull but my body started to fall forward.

"Loki."

"He'll be fine for now. Garrett isn't pleased in the slightest."

"To hell with you both."

He pulls a small box to the desk as he pulls on a pair of gloves. He sets out swabs and tubes. The needles are sterile as I try to dull everyone's perception in the room. I grow dizzy as I feel blood drip from my nose. Grant kneels as he holds me in place.

"If you keep fighting, it'll just be easier on us."

He swabs the blood from my nose, draws several more tubes from my arm, an oral sample and even hair as I sit weak in the chair. I feel a jerk as Grant pushes more forward to the desk. I try to balance myself between the chair and the cold plastic of the desk. Loki is powerless to stop them as Grant covers my mouth. He pulls a larger needle as he pushes my head down roughly.

"Careful now, this is really going to hurt and this is very personal, Dany."

The needle pierces my neck, the pain intensifying as the needle goes deeper. I scream into his palm as tears fall to the desk. My body numbed as I pulled at the cuffs. My throat, already sore from the night before got worse as I stopped screaming, the pain however moved down my spine as Grant pulled it away.

"Why?"

"I'm not sure what Jesse told you but we need whatever we can get from you for another serum. You'll be kept alive and still be the original but your whole anatomy will help Hydra stay hidden from the forces of Shield and the Avengers or whoever else may be out to stop us."

My eyes shot to the tube of the needle as a clear liquid was placed in a cooler. Grant handed it to one of his men as he cocked his gun. He knelt over a weak Loki as his skin started to turn blue.

"You know, I met another one of you and I have to say that you are such a disappointment. I bet Thor is better liked than you, bastard. Look at you now, weak and pathetic. I could claim her again as you'd watch. Don't confuse this with revenge for New York but I will greatly enjoy putting a bullet in your head."

Grant undid my cuffs as I fell to the floor. I slinked to the wall as I tried to stay away from Grant.

"Get this back to base and let them know I won't be far behind with the rest of Imaginary."

"Yes, sir."

Loki inhaled sharply as he swept his feet under two of the men, knocking them to the ground. Grant ran from the room with another man and the cooler as Loki checked on me. I was already focus on pushing the sedative from my system.

"Go get them," I growl as I grab one of the men's gun.

Loki gives a single kiss and bolts from the room as I push my back to the wall. The two men that were on the floor were now on their feet and staring at me as I pointed the gun to each of them and pulled the trigger. I sat as straight as I could and willed myself to focus. My nose bled again as I pushed the sedative from my system. I clear blue sweat pooled in the pores on my arms as my limbs regained their feeling.

I dressed on the floor as I ran for the staircase. There was only one base I could think of that Grant could be headed. The men wore a special kind of boots that wouldn't track in the sand from outside. It was where I was kept when I was injected with the serum. At the time, Garrett and Ward were never far when I was there. Since they were Hydra, the base would be too.

I only hoped that I would make it there before Loki. I barreled through a back door into an alley as large men straddle their motorcycles.

"Hey baby. You want some real power between your legs."

"Yeah, thanks."

I swung my leg up knocking him from the bike as I hopped on and drove away. I rode west as fast as I could, sifting through the police scanners as I found Grant ten minutes ahead of me.

"This is Grant to base. I have the first package. ETA thirty minutes."

I sped faster away from the burning afternoon towards my destination with no plan of what to do when I got there but I would have to make sure my samples didn't end up in stronger, evil hands.


	7. Chapter 7

_"Go get them," she growled as Loki saw her grab a weapon to defend herself. If parts of her were to end up on the wrong hands, things would be worse and more people were going to die because of Hydra. He ran from the room, seeing the elevators already descending to the ground floor._

_He flew down the stairs as he broke in the lobby. He quickly contained himself as he scanned the crowd. The Ward man was gone but he saw the head of two of his men. They all passed the service areas as they slipped through the back door._

_They were loading supplies to a van as he cloaked himself and got into the van with the last of the doors closing. He searched as quietly as he could with no luck for finding the container._

_Loki felt the greatest desire to snap Grant's neck as he and his solider drove the vehicle to its destination. He said a prayer to himself that Danika was safe._

_"This is Grant to base. I have the first package. ETA thirty minutes."_

_He showed the greatest restraint as he bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood. The coppery taste was enough to help him focus. Loki wanted to go back and make sure Danika was well enough but with the samples of serum in their possession, they would be unstoppable as they drained every trace of humanity from her as they kept her locked up. Loki clenched his dagger as he took a steady breath and waited silently._

_A long time had passed as the van stopped. He waited as Grant left first with a bag as a few men stayed behind starting to unload the van. One man raised his weapon as Loki made himself known to them. He was able to dodge them as the knocked them all to the ground, searching them until he found what he was looking for._

_He looked at the device in confusion as he tried to remember how the other Midgardians used them over the past few days. Loki had remembered the numbers Danika used by heart. The line rang as he waited._

_"Identification."_

_"I'm looking for Miss Hill."_

_"Identification."_

_"I am aware you have the proper software to find out who I am. I know why they want Imaginary. Unless you want the death of Danika Nathan on your hands then I suggest you get the Hill woman."_

_The line is silent for a moment as a woman's voice is heard._

_"Where is she?"_

_He watched a cycle approach as Danika rushed from the bike and wedge herself inside a metal container. The containers were loaded onto a platform and moved into the base that caught his eye._

_"She has gone inside a guarded facility and planning to harvest her if she is caught."_

_"I'm tracking you now. If you hang up, we'll lose you and you'll be on your own. We can be there in thirty minutes."_

_She was definitely looking for trouble as he grinned. He looked down to her lily that was hidden in his pocket. He had grabbed it from the table as a token of her should anything had happened to her._

_"It seems she's been important all this time, and will need to remain safe. I have a proposal for you."_

-

I was able to sneak in between the shipping crates as I stayed hidden from all of the guards. The bike was close to running out of gas as I prayed that I was headed in the right direction. Getting in was a piece of cake but getting out would be fun.

I looked to the labs and production floor below. Grant was in a room that had homey touches with two dressers and a bed all lining the glass walls. He was giving orders to others as IV's and other equipment was brought in. He unloaded a duffle bag of clothes and possessions into one of the dressers, he had been planning to keep me in the room with him on guard 24/7.

I immediately regretted moving into the building but I was already so far ahead as I tried to find a way to level the place. I had snuck around the compound almost twice and found no trace of fuel or gas. A fiery explosion was out of the question.

A crash got my attention as a container fell off a forklift. Bits of metal fell from a wooden crate as many men tried gathering them.

"Careful. Don't leave any Ballatronnon on the floor, the new stuff is harsher and I don't need any trouble with the higher-up!"

The men picked up what they could as they double checked the floors. They were planning to move the serum across the country again and we're only waiting for the final ingredient. I hear the quick shuffle of feet as my face is pushed into the wall. I tried to fight the best I could as I felt a needle pierce my neck. I couldn't see who it was but I was infuriated with myself with finally getting caught. The face of the large man that holds me steady grabs his radio.

"Ward?"

"What? I'm busy."

"We have a situation, sir. We have a visitor."

"Then shoot them. How hard is your job?"

"It's her, she followed us here."

"Bring her down and don't let anyone else near her."

The bits of grey blended together as I was carried farther into the warehouse. I heard the man's voice as he shouted for everyone to get back. I saw everyone clearly as their eyes showed hunger, like wolves ready to tear me to shreds. How could I let this happen?

My body was too weak to fight off anyone as I'm strapped to a medical chair.

"Loki!"

I scream as high as I can when everyone leaves. I scream for him hoping he would be there. I should have stayed in the room and waited but he never told me to stay put. My arms pull at the restraints, trying to get some slack but they stay tight. Grant enters the room with bedsheets. His eyes stay on everything else as I continue screaming, at one point he stopped talking to the workers as he taped my mouth shut and carried on like I wasn't there.

When it was only him left, he shut the blinders and that way we were hidden from everyone in the facility. He sat on the bed next to the chair as he peeled the tape away from my mouth. My eyes were red from all of my tears.

"I don't expect you to understand, Dany, but I'm going to need you to shut the fuck up from now on or I will keep your mouth closed except for when they need tissue samples. Understand?"

"Go to hell," I whisper.

"Good." He puts his hand on my arm almost lovingly. "Look, you're very lucky I was able to convince Garrett to this. He wanted to put a bullet in your head at first and then he wanted to rip you open for the serum in your blood. This will be so much easier. We won't be homemakers but we'll still be together."

"That's the weirdest thing because Jesse said, before I put a bullet in his head, that you had a new girl. I bet she's real pretty and stupid just like me. How is that going to work out? Does she know about me or are you so full of yourself that you need a row of shiny toys to play with?"

"Stop it. It's just... complicated."

"Isn't it always with you Gestapo assholes?"

"We just want World peace."

"No, you want whatever you can get from me so you can play hide and seek with Shield. I swear to God, I am _done_ with you both."

"I'll still be here, you still mean way too much to me." He kisses the top of my head before leaving the room. "I'll be back in a few hours. The guards outside the doors have orders to start your first extraction without anesthesia if you escape."

I try not to think of what was going to happen, what they were going to do to me but it was all clear. There were endless rows of vats of new serums, it may have been too easy for me to be thrown into one of them as the solution ate away at my skin. My eyes wandered to the small cooler as I slowly start to accept defeat. Should I have been grateful to be given a gilded cage instead of being strapped down to a medical table somewhere?

I was so close to being free.

-

_Loki was given certain instructions as soon as he hung up the phone. The snipers would be the easiest thing. One by one they went down like falling trees. He was careful not to kill anyone he didn't need to as he made his way into the warehouse. He scaled the metal beams as he looked everywhere for Danika._

_There were only the blue vats and many rows of wooden crates of what looked like metal bricks. He chanted as he held the lily in his hand. A soft mist roamed through the warehouse as it disappeared into the floor. He jumped from beam to beam as he stayed hidden from the Hydra guards._

_He found a room of control panels as one of the monitors picked up on heat signatures._

_"There was interference in the beams again. Should we tell Grant?"_

_"No, everything is either new or being reinstalled. Give it time and it'll be fine."_

_Loki grinned as he snapped his fingers disguising himself as one of the guards that patrolled without a larger weapon._

_"Solider! We need your help with the first extraction when it's time, get on this elevator."_

_"Yes, sir."_

_He stood in the back smiling to himself, this was all way too easy. He drew his knife and swung as the men fell one by one. He pulled the radios from them and crushing them between his fists. He stood alert as he made his way out to the lower level. Loki spotted the mist hovering over a single room surrounded by machines._

_He also found the electrical grid at the far end of the level as he slipped into the shadows. He marched forward as he tested the voltage of the panel, it was nothing like Mjolnir but it was painful enough. A single conductor to short the panel would knock out the power as Maria had suggested._

_All he had to do was look._

_"What are you doing out of bounds, solider?"_

_Loki found three armed gunmen behind him as he smiled._

_"It would seem we have an intruder," he grinned as he pulled the dagger from his sleeve._

-

I didn't care. I pulled at what I could until the top of my wrist started to bleed. My body started to shake and tremble.

"Loki!"

The white lights disappeared at once as red emergency lights flashed on. An alarm sounded as the restraints wired open. I was able to stand on my feet as I looked around the room for a second door or at least a place to hide. I moved towards the main door as it opened finding the two guards Grant told me about.

"Freeze! Get on the ground now or we will shoot!"

"You can't shoot me. The serum won't work if I'm dead, idiot."

"Then we'll start with extraction."

"Good luck. Most of the equipment is electrical."

"There are zip ties and plenty of syringes. You just brought this on yourself, skank."

I blink for a second as both guards scream. I blink again and they are on the ground dead as they bleed out on the floor. This had to be a blessing or an omen as I ran for the door. One of the guards grabbed my ankle as I fell to the floor. He let go as I inhaled for a scream until I felt a hand over my mouth.

"Shh, everything will be alright now."

Loki lifted me from the ground as he took me into his arms. I started weeping as he held me close. He quickly wiped away my tears as he looked into the hall. I hadn't realized voices were getting closer.

"They're everywhere and they're more dangerous."

"But I am a god, dear."

"Gods die too. I don't want to die Loki, not yet."

"You won't die today, my love. The night is still young."

"You really are an ass."

"An ass to get you to safety before Maria shows up."

"She's coming?"

"She's also leveling this place. We have ten minutes to get as far away as we can."

He takes my hand leading me from the room as I hold on to him tightly.

"It seems it's something we're both good at doing."

We fly down corridors as fast as we can to stay ahead of the guards. We make it up one of the stairwell as an alarm blares. The bottom staircase door kicks open.

"They're going for the ground floor! Stop them now!"

We reach ground level as Loki holds the door shut.

"Run! Go!"

"NO!"

I had the faintest feeling death had found me again. I'd be damned if I was going to let it take Loki. He was able to hold the door closed with one hand as he pulled me in for a kiss.

"Danika, I will be right behind you. You have my word. Run now. I cannot protect you from what is about to come if you don't not run now."

"I love you, Loki."

"I love you. Now run, dammit and hope I don't catch you when I do," he yelled with a wink. I ran for the hanger door as soldiers stepped out from a loading dock. He stepped back as dozens of soldiers surrounded him, most taking aim. He was too quick for them as they fell in their own blood.

He was a savage as knives flew into their chest, guns breaking their own necks. I hid one last time as I watched him fight for his life, killing anyone that was headed in my direction. I shoot out like a bat out of hell as I sprinted to the doors. A single stray guard tackled me to the ground as I tried to fight him off. I was well out of Loki's reach as I pushed him up away from me. My arm pushes up one final time as he loses consciousness.

I bolt outside as two Shield snipers pull me to safety. I almost didn't realize others fall back as a small drone flew in the direction of the warehouse. I look back seeing the empty part of the hanger I had fled from.

"No, we had to go back!"

Maria shows as she shots out the tires of an escaping vehicle.

"Incoming! Ten seconds! Duck and cover!"

More of an empty distance was put between me and the empty hanger door as I tried to fight. It only made it easier to be dragged through the sand. My mouth opened as I screamed for Loki. Part of the drone looked like a falling star as a single bomb fell to the warehouse. Loki rounded the corner at the last second as he ran for the doors.

I did everything in my power to urge him closer. Shrieking his name, reaching out to an image, looking frame by frame as the warehouse turned to an inferno with Loki still inside. They held my head down for cover as the bomb leveled most of the structure. I fell forward, my ears deafening for a second as I recovered quickly from the blast.

A large column of smoke rose to the sky as it changed colors in the setting sun.

"Loki."

There was no volume to my voice as I ran forward into the smoke. There had to be a way that he survived it, he wasn't human so there had to be something still alive.

"Grab her!"

Two men ran forward but I swung, knocking them all to the ground as I searched and screamed harder for him. Still there was no answer. I had ignored the bullets that started flying around me as a few surviving Hydra members took fire at the Shield trucks that were yards away. I stumbled as something white and clean stuck out from the rumble.

It was a crushed white lily.

Crushed between blue fingers. They were freezing as I touched the blue skin and darkened lines of his hand.

"No. No, no, no. You promised me, Loki. No..."

I dug into the rumble, trying to find more until I was pulled away.

"I've got her."

"Loki!"

I kept my tear filled eyes on the white lily as I was dragged away. I was handed to Maria as I was pushed to a smaller van.

"Base, this is Hill. We have Imaginary safe in custody and are headed east now. We have stragglers in Death Valley. Over."

_"Negative on A. Enemy vehicles spotted ten miles out. H is in effect. Over."_

"Copy that. Over and out." She pulled a needle from her belt and she injected me to make sure I wouldn't run. I was limp instantly as I fell over on the seat with the scanned seatbelt holding me safely in place.

"We're ready to go. Let's move."

It was only me, the driver and Maria as the wheels turned against the sand, a larger explosion rattled the car as I saw Maria grab the headboard for support. _Loki_. So many radio transmissions, gunfire, shouted orders over the airwaves as I heard them all. _Loki_. So many sharp turns until the ground was smooth. _Loki_.

He was gone.

I close for my eyes for a second as I remember the red in the sky changing to violet. They open again as the car had changed it's speed. The sky was now dark as he was as we turned into an army base. I stayed on my side as Maria opened the door. She only opened the door far enough for her to sit on the edge of the van.

"It seems useless asking how you're holding up. If you want to, you can get out and stretch your legs."

"We have to go back and get him."

"He may have been Asgardian but he never would have survived that last blast. This was what he would have wanted, to keep you safe." She set a bag next to my head as I looked. It was my mother's bag. It was empty but it was comforting to hold.

"Put a guard at the door. I'll run if I get loose."

"I'm sorry, Danika. I'll find some water. We'll be moving again in a few hours."

The van door slide shut as a man stood outside the door without looking at me. My heart shattered in pieces as I sobbed into the bag, not wanting my cries to draw any more attention than it already had.

 


	8. Chapter 8

My eyes stayed on the back of Maria's chair as the van drove off. I blocked the clock from my mind. What the hell was going to happen to me now? I was either going to be buried into some nasty safe house that hadn't been used since the Cold War or if I was lucky I'd be in a plastic shell somewhere in Japan. The time quickly passed as I finally sat up. I had the worst headache in the world as I pushed the hair from my eyes.

The scenery had changed a bit since we left the army base. I had a nasty cramp in my stomach from sleeping on my side for so long. My mouth was dry and my senses were slowly coming back to me.

Maria was in the front seat as she was on the phone with Fury, who was pleased with me being alive after all this time and waiting for my reinstatement. Fuck that. We had passed places that sounded familiar but it all didn't feel as real. My finger traces the zipper on the bag as my thumb find something hard. I carefully open the bag as I find a small knife bond in leather. I have a stranger urge to small it, the leather smelled like Loki as I hid the blade in my sleeve.

The edge of the blade slowly cuts away at the lower strap cutting off the circulation to my ribs. As the strap quietly breaks, I take in a fresh breath and notice a road sign leading to Santa Barbara.

"Where are we going?"

"Good morning. We're headed to a safe house near the shore. It's old but it's well hidden. You're gonna stay underground until they clear the Death Valley base of anything linked with Defigo, or Loki's body. We don't want them using his anatomy either for anything alien that could be weaponized. He suggested something of this kind of scenery."

Sneaky bastard told about this. My eyes wonder to the window as I try every possible way to escape the van without getting tazered and captured again. The city is beautiful, looking like something off a postcard. It was better than I remember when Karen brought me here when I was little.

The van ends up stopping near a fishing dock as Maria hangs up and makes a new call. I didn't want this, any of this anymore. No more Shield, no more Hydra. No good, evil or whatever passed as protection or a justifiable choice. My heart started to pound in my chest as Loki's face refused to leave my mind. I felt so guilty but he had tried to run at the last minute. My voice broke, my hand didn't reach far enough. I put the knife back in the bag.

My vision blurred for a minute as I tried to stay calm, not realizing I was filled with so much anger and hurt. Everything but my breath had been taken away from me. I raise my shaking hand, almost admiring my trembling fingers when I notice the driver doing the same. I flex each finger and crack the knuckles as he repeats me.

Maria turned watching the driver's hand movements.

"Dawson. Are you alright?"

I wave my hand again as the driver does the same. It had to be the effects of the serum, I didn't care enough to wonder why this was happening. This was now my way out. Maria turns to the back seat watching my movements in an alarmed scare.

I clear my head and watch as Maria turns back in her seat and turns off her phone. She tries hard as she tries to struggle against me.

"Danika. W-What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, Maria. Everyone wants me safe and everyone else wants a piece of me. Loki wanted me safe and this is how it has to be."

The driver started to van as he put his foot to the pedal as the wheels burned into the pavement. The dock wasn't as long as I thought and I didn't have much of a window. The belt slid off as blood started to drip from Maria's nose.

"Stop... it."

I sling the bag over my shoulder and fling the door open as I took a quick breath of air.

"Don't forget to unbuckle yourself before you drown, Maria."

I dive into the ocean as the van drives on. I make the surface as the van crashes into the water. I take a deep breath and go under, swimming as far and fast as I can. My lungs fight as much as they can and finally I make it to the early morning swimmers as I take a moment to tread the water.

For once, I didn't feel weak, I didn't feel like blacking out, and things were calm. I mingle fast with others swimming, taking in the laughter and merriment as I make my way to shore. I wash away what sand I can as I listen for the chatter. There were patrolling police, hidden Shield channels and so many cell phone calls. Maria had made it out alive but was taken to the hospital. That would have to do for now. She would be pissed when she woke up and I was okay with this. They would have to catch my ass first.

I gather my thoughts on the boardwalk as a young blonde man grabs my hand.

"Excuse me, hun." His eyes were blood shot and happy as he waved his beer bottle to me. "Can I get another one of these?"

This was too easy.

"Sure, honey," I say in a fake accent.

"Thanks."

I haze him into a stupor as I pluck the card from his pocket. I kneel down as he blindly slips his beer.

"What is your pin?"

"3-5-0-2"

"Thank you, honey. Stay here."

I may as quickly as I can to the closest atm. My waves dull the camera as I look at the man's account. I smile as I withdrawn $500 from his large sum of money. A clothes store was my next hit as I move faster, redressing silently in anything I grab and make from the store with a larger messenger bag.

I hurry from a drugstore that had almost no security whatsoever. In my hands are fresh makeup to cover the bruises from Death Valley and the love marks Loki left. They were too beautiful to hide but certain people remembered what I looked like and this was a necessary step.

The adrenaline in my body was slowly starting to wear off as I slumped behind a dumpster. I fix myself, stashing the makeup in the new bag and tying my hair into a messy top bun. The aviators were weird but they would do for the time being. The boardwalk was crawling with fresh faces and this was the best time to disappear. All that was left was the first step.

I hold my mother's bag in my hand, afraid that I wouldn't be able to ditch. I take in the smell of the bag, hoping that all of them were watching out for me. My eyes close as I shove the bag into the dumpster along with the clothes Loki gave to me.

_ "Be on the lookout. Young woman, early twenties, brown hair, bruises on her neck." _

_ "You do realized you described every woman in a five block radius." _

I pulled the ring from my finger as I stuffed it safely into my newer jean shorts as I stepped into the sun. I made my way back to the bar as I saw three Shield agents round the corner. I blend in easily with a group of girls as they watch men playing volleyball. I cheer with them as the agents pass by without a look.

The man is still sipping his beer as he stares of into space. A waitress stops to ask if there was anything I needed.

"Yes, actually. I have to run but my boyfriend there wanted to pay for his drink. I was wondering if you could give it back to him."

"Sure thing."

I find the man again as I give him a single kiss to his cheek. I felt dizzy as I pushed myself forward towards any motel that looked old. After almost an hour of walking, I find something up shore away from the excitement. I'm able to get a cheap enough room to rest for a bit as lock myself away from the world.

I listen to the city as close as I can as I strip off the new clothing and rest in the aged bed. Most of the agents are gone now, some go south where I left the van and the dock, not thinking I'd go north.

"Dumbasses," I chuckle weakly as I slowly flip the dark silver of my wedding band between my fingers. I may have been numb or weak or stressed or whatever was close as I slip the cool band on my finger. Whatever I had pulled off, I may never be able to do it again. My body may not have handled the stress of mind control.

"You did well, my love."

I see his head on the pillow next to mine. I wasn't really sure which stage of grief this was but I didn't want to know. He wasn't really there.

"You're not there," I calmly huff as I close my eyes.

"I know. I love you."

For a moment, I feel his body heat as he moves next to me kissing me on the lips as the bed grows cold. I open my eyes again. The windows are still closed and the blinds are shut as the door is locked. I cover myself with whatever blankets my fingers could find. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

...

I had ignored the voices as the clean white room surrounded me. I never did like the hospital. I remember things from earlier. I was sitting at an interview for a few private investigators as I watched a cheating couple a few tables away as they sat on the inside of the restraint. They were impressed as I gave them every grimy detail of the affair.

I thought it was my nerves as my side started to hurt. I didn't eat anything, only drinking the sweet tea as I waited. I did my best to stay cool until a waitress started screaming. I looked down as all I saw was blood. I was never sure if anything was a dream or not but I fought like hell to find reality for my situation.

Two hours later I was awake and waiting as my new bosses stood in the doorway. They gave me the day off and were asked to leave as the doctor closed the door behind him. He looked over his clipboard to me as a blonde male nurse appears next to him ready to check my vitals.

"Danielle Lukison."

"Yes?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine, I guess."

"What was the last thing you remember?"

"I was sitting at lunch, enjoying myself and then a waitress was screaming her head off."

I think back to the blood, looking down to the hospital short of a bandage on my leg. I must have imagined the blood, thinking I was going crazy.

"Mrs. Lukison. Are you married?

"Uh, I was. Three months ago."

"Where is your husband now? Is he working?"

"No. He died in an accident."

"About three months?"

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"Mrs. Lukison, you suffered a miscarriage."

The male nurse had stopped, almost waiting for me to react to the doctor. I wasn't sure of even what to say.

"What?"

"It happens to some women but that doesn't mean you can't try again."

I was pregnant. Was.

"Mrs. Lukison. Do you have someone you can call? Someone that can take you home?"

"No," I answer blankly. "I don't have anyone left."

"Well, I suggest you spend the night for your health and in the morning I can have you discharged."

My voice is completely gone as the male nurse sits me in a wheel chair. I'm taken from the ER as I'm wheeled deeper into the hospital. The white turned into a light shade of grey as the cleanliness of the halls made me sick to my stomach. The Hub wasn't even this clean as the squeaking wheels echoed in the empty halls.

The room is small and only has one bed. I don't say anything as the nurse helps me into bed. My head hits the pillow and I'm fast asleep before the nurse closes my door leaving me in darkness.

_ The darkness behind my eyelids filled with a beautiful light as it shined on the carpet of the church. I heard the doors banging behind me. Claire and Karen held the doors closed as Mom held my hand. She gave a smile and a bold push as I start down the aisle. Garrett and Ward were outside the door as their voices turned to growls. Their claws showed as they tried to enter after me. _

_ I took my time as Loki waited for me at the altar. My wedding dress looked the same but Loki was wearing something entirely different. He had armor that shone in the sunlight with his long hair oiled back to perfection. _

_ The doors flew open as the demon rushed the aisle, shredding at the wood as they got closer. Loki pulled me close, shielding me from the dark as he kissed me. The dark was gone at once he held me. A small wrapped bundle moved in his arms as he handed it to me. _

_ He took a single step back as I unwrapped the bundle. Blood spilled out from the blanket onto my dress as I screamed. I look up seeing Jesse in Loki's place as he doubled over laughing. I push the strained blanket to the floor as I stumble back, tripping over the trail of my dress as I start to fall. _

_ The real Loki catches me in his arms before my body hits the floor. _

My whole body jumps as I wake. The sunrise was starting to shine in through the windows as I cried into my hands. I felt everything in me give up. I didn't want this life anymore, trying to live on with nothing.

The door opened as the male nurse from the day before snuck into my room. In his hands were white lilies in a green vase. He saw my reaction as he tried to comfort me. He makes the mistake of kneeling in front of me.

I yank him off his balance as I hold him by the front of his scrub top. The vase fell from his hands and crash to the floor.

"Get me discharged now!"

I did kind of feel bad for the male nurse. He didn't do anything wrong. I hadn't seen fear in someone's face like that since I put a bullet in Jesse's head. I convinced them to put me in a cab so I could go home instead of being sedated.

I paid the driver and made my way up the seven sets of stair to the flat I had procured for myself. I bolt the door behind me and look at the wreck that was my apartment. I was in such a hurry yesterday to get ready for the interview and this was what I had to show for it.

I'm lost in my own thoughts as I wonder around. A cool breeze hits my skin as the serum plays with the temperature. I look down at the kitchen sink, seeing it completely cleaned as was the rest of the apartment. It was small, I don't think it would have been the place for a baby. My mind flooded with every possible question I had refused to ask myself.

Where would the baby sleep? I could have moved to a new place but we it have been enough? Would we have kept running or would we find somewhere permanent? Did Loki know?

My palm presses flat to the small of my stomach.

What would the baby had looked like? Would it have blue skin like him? Blonde hair like mom? Would it have been a girl or a boy?

"I wager a beautiful girl like you." I turn to the open balcony window as Loki sat in his armor on the worn loveseat that acted as my bed on several occasions. "You know, I have never given a thought to being a father."

The grey got worse as the wind pushed the curtain in. I have accepted Loki was gone for months now and on occasion I would imagine he was there with me, to make everything easier to bear. He patted his leg but I pass by his illusion instead as I brace the glass sliding door.

"I bet it's beautiful."

"What is?"

_ Death _ . Being together again.

"Everyone is gone. Mom, Claire, that asshole Jesse. Even you and our baby."

Our baby. The final straw. I step forward, bracing the metal of the ledge as I look down below.

"What kind of trouble are you up to?"

I balance myself as I look over my shoulder to him one last time.

"Don't worry," I whisper with a smile, "I'm coming home to you."

My legs swing easily over the side of the railing as I fall. I felt free as my sundress flowed around me like wings. I would have given anything to fly like a bird. The grey sidewalk gets closer until the stone pavement embraces me.

I imagine it's his arms that are around me, his breath panting heavily at my neck and his tears as they fall down my shoulder. It was his palm that connected to the side of my face. My eyes open looking up to him as panic filled his eyes.

"Danika? Are you alright?"

"What happened?"

"You fainted, almost over the rail. Why would you do something like that, you silly bitch."

I reach, touching the side of his face. My hand touches his warm skin instead of fading away as he normally would have. I tackle him to the ground and sob into his armor, feeling him trying to comfort me as he rocks me back and forth.

"It's alright. I am here."

"I don't understand. I saw you die."

"They were going to keep coming until they caught you. I had to make sure you were safe. It was just all part of the plan until you almost ruined it at the docks." He snaps his fingers, turning into the male nurse from the hospital. He turns back, pulling us to his feet. "Hydra has still been watching you."

"So this whole time..." He was alive and watching over me. Now I really did feel like a silly bitch. "How did you get out?"

"Let's just say that you should have seen their faces as they open the body bag I was kept in."

"I'm so sorry."

He caresses my cheek as he smiles down to the ring on my finger.

"You've kept in on."

"The whole time as a good wife should."

I pick up on twenty sets of boots as they make the second floor, third floor.

"I hear them too. Do you value anything in your chambers?"

"Only the ring and you."

"Excellent."

He pulls me over his shoulder, much as he did on our wedding night as he kicks the door open with his foot. He runs up the steps three at a time as he holds me steady. We make it to the roof as Loki sets me down. Wind rushed past us as a Quinjet touched down onto the building with the reflector panels dissolving.

The platform had lowered with Grant jumping off. He raised his gun in our direction as he saw Loki. His hair was cut off and he showed a great amount of anger as I stepped between them.

"Danika, I'm done chasing you. Get on that jet now or I will take you kicking and screaming. This is the last time."

"There wasn't supposed to be a first, you damn traitor."

"Garrett is dead, there's nothing he can do to hurt you now. They perfected the serum and only want a vial of your blood. Then you're free to go. We can start over, Dany. Like we always wanted."

"What _I_ always wanted, what _I_ have already done. You laughed in my face at this. You want to start over and your guard dogs are three floors below? I'm done with you, you need to let me go."

"What if I still need you?"

"I've done more than fine on my own, Grant. Maybe you should do the same."

"Who do you think called 911 because it sure as hell wasn't that waitress?"

"You were there?"

"I caused it. I know what you did in New York after the battle. Eye for an eye. Besides I couldn't let you have a monster like him growing inside of you."

Grief struck me as Loki stepped forward, flipping the dagger in his hand.

"Perhaps you should leave now, boy. I have killed one of your kind before and I won't hesitate any longer if you stand there another minute to ridicule her."

The men made it to the door as they pounded to get it open.

"You may be a God but don't think I won't shoot you and take what's mine. I've known her way long before you showed up, Asgardian."

"Don't think I won't kill you just because _my wife_ stands here."

Grants eyes filled with rage as he saw the ring on my finger. I was able to step between them again before Grant pulled the trigger.

"Stop it, Grant. Its okay, you never really loved me anyway. You'll never have me. Neither will Shield or Hydra. It's over."

"Please just co..."

I focused on him as I block out the banging. Grant stayed on his feet as he slowly sank to the ground. His gun slipped for his hand as I kicked it away. He tried to fight, he really did. I felt the irises of my pupils dilate as his ear and nose started to bleed.

"D-Dany, please stop. S-stay..."

Had things been different, I would have stayed. Maybe. I give one final push before he loses consciousness.

"Goodbye, Grant. Try not to miss me too much."

He finally gave in as his eyes rolled to the back of his head. I ran to Loki as the door flew open. He scooped me up as he chanted, running straight for the edge. With a mighty leap, he jumped to the alley below as I shrieked in his ear.

The California heat disappeared as a frigid breeze snapped me to attention. We were completely surrounded by beautiful ice and snow as the powder crunched under my sandals. The sight was all too beautiful. I should have been suffering from the first stages of hypothermia but the serum adjusted my pores as the air kissed my skin.

"Where are we?"

"Jotunnhiem."

"Where?"

We started walking as the clear ice blended together and formed a city.

"This is my home, Danika."

I looked up to the chipped structures, jumping as I heard the soft and heavy footsteps that echoed the surface of the ice. Tall men and women appeared all with blue skin. I had expected them to attack us but instead they kneeled as we walked by, welcoming us as Loki held my hand with his skin turn to his native form.

Walls surrounded us as we entered a large chamber surrounded with the beautiful creatures that bowed.

"I don't understand."

"We are safe here. My real father was the king of this realm. With my birth father dead and my welcome taken from Asgard, I returned here to reclaim my throne and ferry you home, here, where you belong."

He kisses the wedding band on my finger as the green jewels turn blue. The paleness of my skin darkens as it turns blue like everyone else's. I'm struck in awe as I'm covered from head to toe with blue. I catch my reflection in the ice as a few women step forward admiring my transformation.

Loki dismisses everyone as we are left alone. I follow him to a stand near the spacious open balcony as I take in the view of Jotunnhiem.

"It's beautiful."

"I'm told it was better."

"I can imagine so."

"I can be again."

But... There was always a catch. He kissed the palm of my hand as he pulled a small knife. I tensed when I saw the edge of the blade at my hand.

"Everything will be alright, you have my word. Trust me."

"I enjoy trusting trouble."

He made a long cut into my skin as I winced. Loki closed my hand as a fair amount of my blood cover the top of the stand. It shined brightly as Loki healed my hand.

"Watch the light," he whispered into my ear.

The light filled the room as it disappeared, flowing to the ground of the city. The rumble of cracks filled my ears as new ice formed in swirls and grand glaciers. Sheets of icebergs covered the edges of the buildings making them stronger, filling them with frost. A wave of energy rose from the surface, making the ground and the walls smoother.

"My blood did this?"

"Your new blood did this. Jotunnhiem is repairing itself from the damage of having no source of power for so long. I believe the serum in your blood is helping."

"It's perfect, Loki."

"As you are, my queen."

He wrapped his arms around me as we watched the landscape reform. His hand covered mine as it travel to my stomach.

"I'm not sure there's much else I can give you."

"Darling, I would love nothing more than to see your belly grow round with my child. Just the thought of that brings a smile to my face. Come, join me in my chambers. I wish to start trying for an heir right away."

He waved his hand, taking us to a new part of his home as I stared around in wonder. A fire roared from the icy fire place. A canopy bed waited on the other side as he placed me gently on the furs that cover the bed.

"How about a proper wedding night?"

I pulled the zipper down from my back as he made his clothes vanish in an instant. He caressed my skin as he pulled his dress off, leaving me bare under him.

"I thought you'd never ask."

I sank into the furs as Loki's lips wondered my skin. They pursed around the hardened flesh on my chest as his hand fingers massaged between my legs. He savors what he could, his tongue tracing the curve of my breast as he moved lower, his lips clinging to my wet core as I moaned from the feel of him. He licked from me like a thirsty animal to water.

He braced me open as I clawed and gripped at his hair. He stopped, pressing his cock to my clit as he moved his hips back and forth.

"I almost have you as you should be, my dear. Writhing as you glisten to perfection."

He held my hips up as he thrusted in. My legs wrap around him, wanting more. He swallowed my gasps for air with his hungry kiss. I held onto him as he panted into my neck. The numbing bliss coursed me as we shifted on the furs. The coil on my stomach wound tighter as he moved faster.

His lips, his teeth sucked at the sweat on my neck as my voice echoed from the walls. It had been so long, as every pore screamed out for him. My nails sank into his shoulders as I came. He lifted me, holding me to the headboard as I rode the edge of our orgasm. He released me, laying me on the bed as he held me close.

I looked into his crimson eyes and felt the love as he traced the edge of my face with his finger.

"I missed you so much."

"And I you, my love. What would you prefer?"

"Anything. As long as they look like you."

"I promise you, I will always keep you safe."

"I know you will."

I closed my eyes and listened as all I heard was the forming ice and the heartbeat of my husband. I was already anticipating the welcome of my family as Loki. He pulled me close as the cold embraced us through the furs with his hand resting at my stomach.


End file.
